NG: Goddess: The Second Wish
by Slayer6
Summary: AU, XOver. Occuring after NG:G J, Same wish, different planet, new problems.
1. Prologue

Hard to believe it's been over a year since I first decided to try to write a story. Little did I know way back in September of 2002 what I was getting into. Of course, thanks go out to you, the readers, who offer reviews and want more stories. Hope you're all still out there and enjoying the stories.

And now, because you have asked for more………

I do not own AMG, EVA, Hellsing, or SMJ.

Prologue

1997

Keiichi: Why did you come to me, of all people? Aren't there a lot of other people out there who want their wishes to come true?

Belldandy: Yes, but special qualifications and an assessment are required for that to come about. Not everyone……….can receive a wish.

Keiichi: Are you telling me that I have those qualifications?

Belldandy: Yes, and we're only allowed to enter into contracts with those who qualify.

Keiichi: Then, you can be with me forever?

Belldandy: Yes.

Keiichi: But can a contract possibly be broken, so that you have to go back?

Belldandy: I don't know. But as long as you need me, it will be alright.

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Approx. Earth Year 2546

329 years since the arrival of man on Terra 2

22 years since the return of the human female

"Yes Dad." A dark blue haired girl said into the phone, "I understand Dad, you told me the same thing last year. I know you love me, I love you and Mom too. Say hi to Cherry and Bloodberry for me. Good-bye."

Lime hung up the phone and leaned back against her dorm room wall. The last few years had been interesting. She and several others had been the first female students of Japoness University. She and the other girls had received a lot of attention, more so for her because she looked like and had the same name as one of the famous Japoness marionettes. Some people even thought she was the marionette.

Heh, that was silly. Her a marionette. Of course, now that she thought about it, her sisters also looked like and had the same names as the other two marionettes.

Lime shook her head. That was another silly thought. She sighed and finished unpacking her clothes. Classes would be starting up soon and she still needed to find an after class job. A loud gurgling sound alerted her to the fact she was hungry. Not having gone shopping yet, she decided to order take-out.

"Hello you reached Faust's. Our hours of operation are..." 'click'

Lime dialed another number. This time only the busy signal was heard.

"Grrrr." Frustrated, Lime hurriedly dialed the next number.

"Hello," came a female voice, "you've reached the Goddess Relief Office. A representative will be down shortly."

"Huh?" Lime looked at the phone, "Didn't I call the House of Xian?"

"Hello?" came a male voice.

Lime froze and slowly turned around. A man in his early twenties and dressed in a strange robe stood in her room. He had strange marking on his face. Two triangles under each eye and a square on its point on his forehead. However she wasn't worried about that at the moment.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"

"Calm down!" the man said, "I'm sorry! They still haven't changed the name yet."

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

"I'm not going to hurt you. I'm…"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"

The man looked at his watch. "You're going to have to stop and breathe sometime."

"AHHHHHHHHHhhhhhHhhhh……" 'cough cough' Lime regained her breath and prepare to yell again.

"Please don't. I'm not here to hurt you."

"Who are you?"

The man pulled a business card out of his robes. "I am Keima, God 1st Class Type 2 Unlimited. I am here to grant you a wish."

Lime took the card and stared at it. "A wish?"

"Yes a wish." Keima said, "I can grant you wealth and power. If you want to destroy the world, we can do that too. Of course we prefer to avoid doing business with those kind of people."

Lime sat back and started thinking. 'This has to be a joke. I mean come on, a God? It's just another guy trying to go after me.'

"This isn't a joke." Keima said, "I am not lying. And what's wrong with being sought after by a guy?"

"Because I'm a female."

"I can see that………"

"Look," said Lime rolling her eyes, "I'm one of maybe 50 girls here at this college of around 3,000. There are maybe only 500 females that are twenty and above, like me. I'm tired of being sought after just because I'm female."

"Well that's not right." Keima said, "They shouldn't judge a person on appearances, it's what's in their heart that counts."

Lime looked at Keima curiously. "Really?"

"Yes."

"I wish I had a guy like you with me forever." Lime said, "and not these……uhh?"

Keima was now floating above the floor, the marking on his forehead had begun to glow. Lime backed up against the wall as objects began to spin about the room.

"What's going on?!" shouted Lime.

A beam of light burst from the marking on Keima's head and blasted through the ceiling into the night sky. The beam vanished and Keima slowly sank to the floor. The objects that had been spinning about dropped to the floor. Keima stood there for a second, then opened his eyes.

"Your wish has been approved."


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

One month later.

A beam of light pierced through the window shade, hitting the sleeping girl directly in the face. The girl opened one eye and stared at the offending brightness for a second before rolling over. A few moments later, the door to her room slid open enough to allow a head to peer in. The head looked down at the sleeping girl.

"Lime. It's time to wake up."

Lime rolled over and stared at the head.

"Can't I sleep just a little more Keima?" Lime pleaded.

Keima shook his head. "If you do you will sleep for another hour and then plead for more. Remember what happened last week when you tried that."

Lime groaned. She had been over an hour late for class, on the day of a test.

"Alright! I'm getting up!"

Keima smiled and then shut the door. Lime pushed the blankets off of her and shuffled over to the closet to get her clothes for the day. After dressing, she stepped out of her room and into the common room before walking down the stairs. Keima was in the kitchen behind a large bar working on breakfast.

A month ago, after Keima's arrival, Lime was forced to move out of the dorms. Boys were not allowed inside. Keima was really apologetic as it was sort of his fault. The Ultimate Force would prevent anything from separating them. Thus, Keima couldn't live apart from Lime at all (he was really sorry). Fortunately, Lime's father, Otaru Maimya, owned an old apartment near the university. She and her sisters, Cherry and Bloodberry, had lived there with their father when they were younger before he married Lorelei. Otaru and Lorelei now lived outside in the Japoness countryside. Otaru still owned the apartment, but he never gave a reason why. They hadn't lived there in almost 13 years. She also never why the looked like it had been a restaurant. And her father avoided any questions put to him about the place.

"DARN IT!"

Lime glanced over to see Keima muttering over the stove, smoke curling up towards the ceiling. Apparently he had burned breakfast…..

Again.

"You know I could make breakfast." Lime said.

Keima glanced over and sighed. 

"I thought I could have gotten this down by now." Keima tossed the burnt food into the trash. "I helped out mom enough times to know how. I just don't know why I can't do it now."

"Don't worry about it." Lime then glanced at the clock. "Come on. We can pick something up on the way! We're going to be late!"

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Heavens

"Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr."

Arael, the 15th and now last surviving Angel, looked over at the red head sitting at a nearby terminal.

"Something wrong?"

Yui Ikari, daughter of Shinji and Asuka, turned her chair and pointed at the screen.

"LOOK AT THAT!"

On the screen, two figures walked arm in arm along a street in Japoness.

Arael shrugged, "What about it?"

"THAT SHOULD BE ME!!" Yui turned around and stared at the screen.

"I thought you said you weren't jealous."

"I'M NOT JEALOUS!!!" shouted Yui.

"Then why are you complaining?"

"I……you……he……." Yui sighed, "You wouldn't understand."

Arael moved her chair next to Yui.

"I would appreciate it if you tried." The Angel said, "I'm still trying to understand the lilim behavior."

"They aren't Lilim, they're mortals." Yui said, "And I can't explain it."

"Could it be you do have feelings for him?"

"I'm 20 years older then he is!"

Arael cocked her head to the side.

"And why does that matter?"

Yui started to get frustrated.

"Because I babysat him!" shouted Yui, turning red. "That's why."

"But he is a god." Arael replied, "What does a decade or two matter? After all, his sister is 500 years older then him. Kami-sama himself is eons older then his 3 daughters." Arael then smiled. "I'm almost as old as Kami-sama himself, and yet there are gods half your age seeking my company. Age matters very little. What matters is what is in your heart."

Yui looked back at her terminal.

"You've been talking to Belldandy again haven't you?"

"Sayoko actually."

"oh."

"So do you have feeling for him?"

Yui stared at the screen. "Maybe. But it's too late."

"So talk to him."

"I can't just walk up to him!" shouted Yui.

"Then talk to his sister."

Yui turned and looked at Arael. "There's a problem with that."

"And that problem is?"

"Well……" began Yui when someone burst into song in the doorway. Both turned to see Sayoko Morisato, daughter of Belldandy and Keiichi, sister to Keima,  standing there with a headset on.

"…….Sorry girl but you missed out!" Sayoko sang out loud as she walked into the room. "Well tough luck that boy's HERS now. They are more then just good friends, this is how the story ends. Too bad that you couldn't see, see the god that boy could be, there is more then meets the eye, She saw the soul that was inside." Sayoko leaned in close to Yui. "He's just a boy, she's just a girl, Can I make it anymore obvious? They are in love hadn't you heard. How they rock each other's wo…"

Yui clamped her hand over Sayoko's mouth.

"I thought I told you to stop that Auntie." Yui said with a glare.

Sayoko smiled, "But it's fun to pick on you and Keima. You always go ballistic."

Yui's eyes narrowed.

"Well what about you, Hmm? I don't see you with anyone!"

Sayoko's happy mood vanished quickly, replaced at first by one of sorrow, then to a more neutral expression.

"Fine then." Sayoko said softly, "I'm sorry to have bugged you." She turned and headed out the door.

Yui realized she had wounded her aunt deeply with her comment.

"Wait! Auntie! I'm……" she cried, but Sayoko was already gone. "……..sorry."

Arael took a look at Yui before standing up and going after Sayoko.

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Terra 2

Lime and Keima walked up the street back towards their apartment after a long day of class.

"Uggg." muttered Lime, "No more history class."

"It's not that bad." replied Keima.

"But all he talked about was the Mesopotamia. I already KNOW about the Mesopotamia. Mom was ON the Mesopotamia."

"It could be worse." Keima said, "My sister told me her teachers always rattled on about Second Impact."

Lime stopped and stared at Keima. "Second Impact? What's that?"

Keima shrugged. "I don't know. She never did tell me."

They reached their apartment. Before entering, Keima opened the mailbox.

"Junk mail, bill, junk mail, junk mail, bill." Keima stopped on an envelope. "Lime."

"I have mail?" Lime grabbed the letter and opened it. Keima walked over to the door to unlock it when Lime groaned. Keima looked back at her.

"What?"

"My sisters." muttered Lime, "They're coming for a visit."

"Oh? When?"

"The 17th."

Keima froze as he began to open the door.

"The 17th?"

"Yeah."

"Lime, today is the 17th."

The door swung open as a purple haired girl pulled on it from the inside.

"Lime! How are……." the girl froze and stared at Keima. "Who are you?"

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Keima and Lime sat nervously across the bar from Lime's sisters, Cherry and Bloodberry. Both glared at the couple.

"Let me get this straight." Cherry said, "You," she pointed at Lime, "met him," she pointed at Keima, "at school?"

"Yeah." Lime said softly.

"And now you two are living together?!?!?"

Lime shuffled nervously. "Yeah….."

"ALRIGHT LIME!!" Bloodberry leaped over the bar and pulled her into a tight hug. "I knew you had it in you!"

"Bloodberry!" shouted Cherry, "This is serious!!"

Bloodberry's smile disappeared.

"You're right." She threw her arm around Keima and pulled him and Lime closer together. "So, how far have you gotten?"

Lime and Keima turned beet red while Cherry screamed.

"BLOODBERRY!!!"

"What?! I was being serious!" Bloodberry pulled herself even closer to Keima. "Besides, he's kinda cute."

"HEY!" shouted Lime.

Cherry glared at Bloodberry before looking at Lime.

"Mom and Dad don't know that he's here do they?"

Lime looked down at the table. "No…….."

"I thought so." Cherry stood up. "We'll see what they have to say about this."

"What?!" Lime began to panic. "No Cherry! Please don't!"

"Yeah Cherry." Bloodberry said, "He's not all that bad."

"It's immoral and indecent!" replied Cherry. She looked at Keima. "I'm sorry Mr….?"

"Morisato. Keima Morisato."

"…Mr. Morisato. But you won't be able to live here for much longer."

Cherry picked up the phone and dialed her parents.

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Otaru Maimya and his wife Lorelei were sitting in their living room when the phone rang. Otaru picked it up.

"Hello? Oh, Hi Cherry. How was the…….." Otaru paled, "She's what?!?" He looked over at Lorelei. "Lime is living with a guy."

"SHE'S WHAT!??!"

Otaru winced and then spoke back into the phone.

"Where'd she meet him? Uh huh.……..Does he have a name?" Otaru froze a second. "Wait…….say that name again." Otaru listened carefully, then let a smile creep across his face. "It's alright Cherry. He can stay."

"WHAT?!?!" came Lorelei's voice and a shout from the phone.

Otaru shook his head to clear out the ringing in his ears, then spoke back into the phone.

"You heard me, he can stay. His parents are old friends of ours. Tell Lime that she had better behave herself and not doing anything…….. yes exactly indecent. Yes I know you'll watch them Cherry." Otaru smiled. "We'll talk to you later." Otaru hung up the phone to find Lorelei glaring at him.

"Why are you letting a boy stay with our Lime?!?!"

"It's Keima Morisato."

Lorelei was taken aback. "Keima…..Morisato." Her eyes widened. "You mean……?"

"Know of any other Morisatos?"

"But do Lime, Cherry, or Bloodberry remember him?"

Otaru shook his head. "They were kids at the time. It's been 15 years or so." He then relaxed into his chair. "Besides, can you think of anyone better for Lime?"

"If it is him," Lorelei said, "and your right, he'll take good care of her."

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Cherry hung up the phone and walked back over to the table.

"Dad says he can stay……"

Lime's eyes lit up, as did Keima's.

"But….." Cherry glared at them, "He says you had better behave, and refrain from doing anything Indecent."

"Indecent?" asked Lime, "What do you mean………"

Bloodberry leaned over and whispered in Lime's ear. Lime's face became a very deep red.

"Oh." She said very quietly.

"And to make sure you don't do anything Indecent," continued Cherry, "I am going to keep a close eye on you." She turned and stared at Keima. "Especially you."

Keima nodded. "Yes ma'am."

Cherry stood up and looked at Bloodberry.

"Now we have to finish unpacking." Cherry said. She then glared at Lime and Keima. "NO FUNNY BUISNESS. Or so help me…….." She shook her fist at them, then turned and walked up the stairs. Bloodberry started to follow, but stopped at the bottom of the stairs.

"You'd better do something or else." She waved her fist at them, then also vanished up the stairs.

Left alone, Lime and Keima sunk to the floor, back to back.

"You have nice sisters." He said quietly, "They really care for you."

"Sometimes too much." Lime replied. She turned around and placed her arms around Keima. "What are we going to do?"

Keima shrugged. "I don't know. But don't worry, the Ultimate Force won't let us get separated."

Lime pulled Keima closer to her. "I hope not."

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Heavens

Smoke poured out from the shattered terminal, a chair sticking out of it. Yui stood breathing heavily, glaring at the now destroyed display, but in her mind she could still see the image of that girl holding onto HER man.

Wait, when did he become her man? At this point she didn't know. What she did know is that she wasn't about to let some mortal get their hands on someone she wanted. Yui stormed out of the room, her robes swirling behind her, the beginnings of a plan forming in her head.

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Arael had looked all over the heavens trying to find Sayoko. She was not at home, nowhere near Lady Belldandy's office, not even near the Terra 2 office. No one she had talked to had seen her. Arael now stood in the main corridor on the 20th floor, looking down at the floor below.

'Where could she have gone?' thought Arael, 'Where would she go if……'

Arael stood up.

"That's it!" she shouted before vanishing in a flash.

She reappeared seconds later just outside the Goddess Relief Office. The sound of Goddesses answering phones and gossiping reached her ears. But that office was not Arael's destination. She walked past the office and came to a ledge. Far down below was darkness, along with the faint ripples of water. Arael stepped off and slowly floated downward into the darkness towards the water. She stepped just on the surface, her foot causing just the slightest of ripples. She looked around and immediately spotted Sayoko, standing with her arms crossed, eyes closed.

Arael floated over beside Sayoko. Sayoko made no move that showed she knew someone was there with her, but the Angel knew otherwise. Arael remained silent and still. Finally, Sayoko broke the silence.

"What do you want?" she said softly.

"I have been searching for you." Arael replied, "I wished to know what Yui said to upset you."

"What makes you think I was upset?"

"I am in the rather unique position of knowing both you and the Second Child." Arael said quietly, sorrow on her face.

Sayoko opened her eyes and looked over at Arael. "We already forgave you. So stopped worrying about that. As to Yui…………she got rather……personal."

Arael looked at Sayoko curiously.

"Her comment concerning wither you had a personal interest in a………" Arael's voice trailed off as she saw the expression that appeared on Sayoko's face. "You do."

"I did." Sayoko turned and looked off into the darkness. "It was Kensuke Aida."

Arael blinked. "The pervert?"

Sayoko gave a small smile. "I forgot, you only have my memories up till you attacked. No, we got together years later."

"What happened?"

"He vanished without a trace 500 years ago, from an inverse AT field."

Arael blinked. "But we were defeated. We couldn't have………"

Sayoko raised her hand. "It wasn't one of you. It was SEELE, or what was left of them." Sayoko closed her eyes. "It's been five centuries, but I can still see his face." She opened her eyes and looked back at Arael. "And because I'm a goddess, I can never forget him."

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Kyoko Sohryu frowned as she searched through her room. She then peered out the door into the hallway towards the stairs.

"ASUKA!"

Asuka's head came just into view as she went up a few stairs.

"Yes Momma?"

"Have you or Shinji been going through my German music tapes? I'm missing a polka."

Asuka scowled. "You know I don't like that stuff. And Shinji would only swipe the classical."

Kyoko smiled, "At this point in time, polka is classical." She looked back in her room. "Where could it be?"

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Yui peered into the office. Urd was sitting at her desk, typing away at her terminal. Yui slid the old tape player into the office and cranked the volume up before hitting play. Yui then shut the door and waited. The muffled sounds of a polka soon could be heard from the room, followed by a thud. Yui looked around, then entered the office, closing the door behind her.

Urd had fallen from her chair in a last ditch effort to stop the tape player. She had made it within inches of the player before she had finally fallen asleep. Yui sat down in the chair and opened a new program on the terminal.

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Terra 2

The next day

"Lime, wake up!"

The lump hidden under the blanket shifted around until Lime's head popped out. Keima smiled.

"Come on. There's breakfast waiting for you downstairs."

Lime scrunched her noise up. Keima rolled his eyes.

"No I didn't cook it, Cherry did."

"Oh."

"I'm not that bad." muttered Keima.

"I'm sorry Keima, but burnt toast and eggs gets old after awhile."

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"Bloodberry and I have been thinking." began Cherry.

Lime looked up from where she was eating.

"About what?"

"Well," Cherry began, "We've decided to reopen this restaurant."

"We figure it will help to have some income so we aren't that dependant on Dad." Bloodberry continued, "I can waitress, Cherry can cook. And when you guys aren't in class your more then welcome to help out."

"Keima could use cooking lessons….." Lime said softly.

"Hey!" shouted Keima, "I DID have lessons from mom!"

"Mom?" asked Bloodberry and Cherry at the same time.

"Oh my look at the time!" Lime grabbed her and Keima's bags then grabbed his collar, "Come on Keima we have to go!"

Cherry and Bloodberry watched as Lime flew out the door, dragging Keima behind her.

"What do you suppose he was talking about?" asked Cherry.

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"Ow Lime! Leggo!" Keima struggled in Lime's grip. "What's the problem?!"

Lime released Keima and glared at him.

"Do you realize what you said back there?" asked Lime.

"Yeah, I said I was taught to cook by my mom. So?"

"Keima," Lime said, shaking her head, "No person your age HAS a mother."

Keima stopped walking.

"Oh."

"That's right." Lime said, "Other then Lorelei, the only other women are my age. Can you see the problem with this?"

"Yeah." Keima looked at the ground.

Lime put her arm around Keima.

"Don't worry about it." She said, "If they ask, we'll tell them it was a marionette you called 'mom'."

"But I can say that!" Keima said, "It's a lie. I can't lie."

"Alright. I'll tell them then." Lime smiled, "Now come on! We're going to be late!"

Lime grabbed Keima's arm and both hurried off towards the University. High above them on a roof top, a figure glared at them, her robes swirling about in the wind.

"He will be mine." Yui said softly before vanishing in a flash.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Keima and Lime entered the university. As always, there was a group of boys waiting for one or more of the females to arrive. For the past month though, Lime hadn't had to worry about a thing. Whenever a boy tried to separate her from Keima, something strange happened to the boy. One somehow got his shoes tied together. Another was hit by a ceiling tiles that somehow came lose. The worst case was the boy who came down with a strange itching ailment that refused to go away.

The cause of it all, according to Keima, was the Ultimate Force. So long as the wish remained active and on file, the Ultimate Force would kept them together.

So it was a major surprise when one of the boys was able to get next to Lime and put his arm around her.

"So what do you say we lose this dweeb and hang out with a real man." The boy said.

"That's funny." Lime said, "I thought I was already with one."

"Oh please." Another boy had stepped up and pulled Lime to himself. "If anything she's coming with me."

Another boy grabbed her. "No with me."

"HEY!" shouted Keima, "Let her go!"

"Yeah right dweeb." One of the boys punched him in the face. "Like we'd let her…." He blinked. "What the?"

Keima was gone. So was Lime. The group of boys looked around.

"Where did they go?" asked one, "They were right here!"

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Lime blinked.

One second she was being tossed about between the group of boys. The next, she was in an empty classroom with Keima. Keima was bent over a sink, washing blood off of his face.

"Keima?"

Keima turned and looked at her. His nose looked broken and blood still trickled out from it. Lime was by his side in a second.

"You're bleeding."

Keima waved her off. "I'm fine." He waved his hand over his face, healing it in an instant. "See."

"Oh." Lime said, "How did we get here?"

"My Mother and her sisters are Goddesses of Time," Keima explained, "In Mom's case, it's the present. I have much of the same powers as her."

"But how did we get here?"

"I briefly stopped time, and moved you here, then restarted." Keima wobbled slightly to a chair and sat down. "I used a lot of energy to do it, so I'm a bit weak." He then sighed. "And mom will probably give me an earful about it as well. I'm not supposed to stop time like that."

"Just tell her you rescued me." Lime said, "But uh, wasn't that Ultimate thingy supposed to keep them away?"

Keima nodded, "Yeah, it was." He looked up towards the ceiling. "I'll give Auntie Urd a call, or maybe Sis, see if they know what's wrong." He glanced over at the clock. "Shoot! We're late!"

He grabbed hold of Lime and hurried out of the classroom.

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Later that day.

Girl's restroom

"I'm telling, you those boys are getting worse." One girl said.

"Yeah," replied another, "If it was for the security guard, Yuki wouldn't have been able to get away."

"No kidding." replied a third. She then looked down at Lime. "You're really lucky. That Keima has to be the best of the bunch. Where did you ever find him?"

Lime smiled, "He just sort of………appeared."

"Lucky." The girl smiled and left the room.

"Better look out." Said one of the other girls. "Taki's been eyeing Keima since he arrived."

"I will."

The other girls left, leaving Lime alone. Lime stared at her reflection in the mirror.

"You really are lucky Lime." She said softly.

"Oh please."

Lime whirled around to find herself face to face with a red haired girl in her twenties. Unlike the other girls in the school, this one wore gray robes, similar to the ones Keima arrived in.

"Who are you?" asked Lime, "Transfer student?"

"Like I'd go to this second rate University." The red head said, "I am Yui Ikari, Guardian of Heaven."

Lime blinked, "You're from heaven?"

"Yes."

"Well, why are you here?"

Yui glared at Lime. "I'm here because of you."

"ME?!"

"Yes you. Because of you, Keima cannot return to the heavens." Yui crossed her arms, "Already the system has begun to fail. The Ultimate Force has gone down, and the rest of Yggdrasil may follow."

"But Keima said……"

"He only says what you want to hear!" shouted Yui, "Because of your selfish wish, the entire Universe may crash!"

"But….."

"But nothing! Because of you, your friends, family, everyone will die. It's all you're fault!"

Lime collapsed to her knees, tears streaming down her face.

"What can I do?" asked Lime softly.

"Cancel the wish." replied Yui, "Send Keima back to the heavens."

"But……"

Yui held up her finger. "No buts. Either he goes back, or you doom the universe."

Yui then crossed her arms and vanished.

* It's your choice. * came Yui's voice.

Lime remained staring at the floor, wondering why the day had turned out so badly.

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Keima was worried.

Ever since Lime had returned from the restroom, she had been silent. She also was trying to avoid looking him in the face. The one time she did, he thought she was going to burst into tears. Had he been any other god, he would have read Lime's mind to determine what was wrong. But his mother had raised him to respect a mortal's privacy.

Arriving back at the apartment, Lime had immediately gone upstairs and into her room, closing the door behind her. Cherry and Bloodberry sat at the bar and watched her, then after hearing her door close, turned and glared at Keima.

"What did you do to Lime?" asked Cherry.

"Yeah!" added Bloodberry, cracking her knuckles.

Keima raised his hands in defense. 

"I didn't do anything! Something happened out of my view!"

"Yeah right." Bloodberry started towards Keima, her fist raised.

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Lime lay face down on her bed.

Ever since meeting that…….Guardian, she had been trying to figure out what to do. She liked Keima. No…….she really really liked Keima. But what Yui had told her made her wonder. Did Keima like her? Was Keima's presence here really that disruptful to the universe?

And why is their grass under her face?

Lime sat up and looked around. Somehow she had ended up in a field outside of Japoness.

"Have you made your choice?"

Lime looked up to see Yui floating above her in the sky.

"I…….."

Yui's eyes narrowed.

"Come on! What is your choice?!"

Lime looked down at the ground.

"I……."

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"Yeah right." Bloodberry started towards Keima, her fist raised.

Keima ducked, avoiding Bloodberry's fist. He stood up and was about to speak when he felt something.

Something very familiar.

He then felt pain as Bloodberry's fist connected with the side of his head.

"Ow!" Keima turned and glared at Bloodberry. "Knock it off! Something's happened to Lime!"

"We know." Cherry said, "And you did it."

"No!" Keima took off towards the stairs.

"Hey!" Cherry and Bloodberry took off after him.

Keima reached Lime's door and flung it open.

"Lime?!"

The room was empty. Cherry and Bloodberry peered over Keima's shoulder.

"Where did she go?" asked Cherry.

Keima walked into the room and knelt beside Lime's bed. He then placed his hands on the bed and concentrated.

When his eyes opened, they flashed with anger.

"Yui."

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Lime looked down at the ground.

"I……."

"Come on!" shouted Yui, "We don't have all night! The world could end in any minute!"

Lime looked up at Yui, tears streaming from her eyes.

"Is it……..could that really happen?"

"Yes." Yui said, "It could. Now say it!"

"Say what?"

Lime and Yui turned to see Keima standing in the field. Cherry and Bloodberry were also there, staring wide-eyed at Keima and the floating Yui.

"Keima!" shouted Lime.

Keima glared at Yui.

"What do you want her to say?"

"I want her to send you back to the heavens!" Yui shot back, "You don't belong here!"

Keima crossed his arms.

"But I do belong here, with Lime."

"She's a mortal!" shouted Yui, pointing at Lime, "You can do better!"

"With who? You?"

"YES!" shouted Yui.

Keima shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry Yui, I don't see you in that way."

Yui's face turned from one of anger to shock. Keima noticed and continued.

"Don't get me wrong. I do love you Yui, but you're like an older sister. You were there to take care of me when Mom and Sayoko weren't around." Keima walked next to Lime and put his arm around her. "So what if Lime is a mortal? So was my Father. So were your parents at one time. There's nothing wrong with them."

Yui floated down to the ground. "But that wish………..You can't return to the heavens."

"Why would I return? Lime is here." Keima smiled, "Yui, I'm not just here because of the contract. You and I both know it could not have been made unless both parties agreed to it."

"You mean…….?"

Keima nodded and pulled Lime closer to him. "Ever since that day so many years ago."

Yui stared in disbelief at Keima, then her face turned to one of sadness.

"I've been a complete bi….."

That was as far as she got before the heavens flashed and spat forth a lightning bolt which slammed into Yui, creating a large explosion. When the smoke cleared, Yui could be seen scorched and twitching in a crater. Keima and Lime went to her side, Cherry and Bloodberry remained where they were, still in shock at all they had seen.

Lime looked at Yui, "Is she……..?"

"She's just stunned." Keima said, distracted. Lime looked at him and then to what he was staring at. In the ground was a kind of plaque, the letters on it burned a bright yellow.

"What does it say?" asked Lime.

"'To Guardian Yui Ikari, For sabotaging the Ultimate Force, disabling SysOp Urd, for lying, and for interfering with a heavenly contract, you are hereby banished to the surface until further notice. So as I say so shall it be done. Kami-sama, Goddess Belldandy, Guardian Asuka Ikari.'" Keima winced, "Ouch, Grandpa, Mom, AND Asuka."

"Who's Asuka?" asked Lime.

"Yui's Mom." replied Keima.

"And she isn't never going to let me hear the end of it." Yui said weakly.

"Probably not."

Yui wrapped her arms around her legs and hugged them closely to her chest.

"What am I going to do?" she muttered, "I'm stuck here."

Keima looked up at Lime. Lime knew exactly what he wanted, and nodded.

"You can come with us." Lime said.

Yui looked up at Lime. "What?"

"WHAT?!" shouted Cherry and Bloodberry.

"Well there's only the 5 of us." Lime said, "Dad said that once he had 6 people living there at the apartment. So some of us share a room."

"Why?" Lime looked back at Yui. "Why would you do this? After what I did?"

"Because you like Keima." Lime said, "That means we have something in common." A wicked smiled appeared on Lime's face. "And I'm sure I can get lots of embarrassing stories about him from you."

"HEY!" shouted and indignant Keima.

Yui gave a weak smile, then chuckled. "Yeah, I know a few."

"YUI!!"

Lime stuck her tongue out at Keima, then helped Yui back to her feet. The two began to walk back towards Japoness.

"So has he always been a lousy cook?" asked Lime.

"You have no idea." replied Yui.

"WAIT!"

Everyone looked at Cherry and Bloodberry.

"Who ARE you people?!?!" asked Cherry.

"We'll tell you at the apartment." Lime said, "Come on. I'm hungry."

Yui paled. "Did Keima cook?"

"No Cherry did."

"Oh good. Last time Keima cooked the food kept trying to jump off the plate."

"Ewww……."

The four girls continued walking on their way, leaving Keima alone in the field. He fell to his knees and stared up at the sky.

"Why Grandpa? Why Mom?" he said quietly, "Why are you doing this to me?"

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That night.

Lime was sitting on the balcony staring up at the stars.

"What are you thinking about?"

Lime turned to see Keima walking out onto the balcony. He then took a seat beside her. Lime turned and looked back at the sky.

"What did you mean by we met before?" asked Lime, "And the whole, you wouldn't be here if the two parties didn't agree?"

"Well," Keima began, "I was here, on Terra 2 once before, "You would have been about 5 or 6."

Lime blinked. She did remember something happening, but it was all still hazy.

"I had snuck away from my sister and come down to the surface, totally forbidden to anyone my age." Keima said with a smile, "But I wanted to see it. I had heard stories from my mom and my sister about the surface world, mostly about Earth, but a few about Terra 2."

"I think I remember…….." Lime said, memories beginning to flash in her mind, "We played tag."

Keima nodded, "And then my mom, sister, Yui, and Arael arrived to take me back."

"Yui was there?" asked Lime

Keima nodded, "She was 19 about that time."

Lime's eyes widened. "But….she's like 35 now! How could she even think that you and her……….."

"Age means nothing to a god." Keima said, "We are immortal. My mother and sister are both in their 30s……530s that is."

"Wow." Lime looked back at the sky.

"Now the answer to your second question." Keima reached over and gently held her hand. "After that day, I never stopped thinking about you. I hoped I could meet you again."

"I can't remember much from then." Lime said softly, "I can barely remember what you looked like."

"That's alright. Cherry and Bloodberry didn't remember me at all. It's because you're mortals. Gods on the other hand," Keima was quiet for a moment, "we remember all whom we have had contact with."

They sat quietly together staring at the stars.

"You don't have a problem with Yui here do you?" Keima asked softly.

"No." Lime replied, "I mean, after talking to her, I understand why she did what she did. And she apologized." Lime smiled, "The look on my sisters face when you told them you were a god was priceless."

"So was the look on your face when they asked you what number you dialed." Keima chuckled, "It's strange, your two sisters show up, then a person I see as a sister shows up. Makes me wonder who will show up next."

"It will probably be someone you know." Lime said, "It will balance everything out."

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The Heavens

Arael walked into the office and knelt down before the desk. Belldandy stood staring off out the windows lining her wall. Asuka stood just in front of the desk.

"Stand up Arael." Asuka said, "You know she doesn't like us to bow to her."

"But it is protocol." replied Arael.

Asuka rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Whatever. Arael I have an assignment for you."

Arael perked up. "Yes ma'am?"

"Call me Asuka first."

Arael blinked. "What is the mission Asuka?"

Asuka smiled at her victory. "I want you to go down to Terra 2 and keep an eye on Yui."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"You want me to spy on your daughter?"

"No. Not exactly." Asuka said, "Look, I know she is really sorry for what she did, and Keima may have forgiven her, but the others present may not. Since she can't come up here to be with friends and family, we would like you to go to her."

"We?"

Belldandy turned around.

"We." She said, "We're worried about her. She needs someone to confide in. She considers you a friend."

Arael smiled. "I will leave right away."

Belldandy nodded and looked back out the window. Arael turned and left the office. Asuka sat down in a chair in front of Belldandy's desk.

"That was really unexpected." Asuka said with a sigh.

Belldandy glanced at Asuka.

"Arael? I didn't think she………."

"No Yui. In her 30s, and acting like a teenager."

"You can't really blame her." Belldandy said, "I mean, she was never around anyone her age. Keima is the only close to her age that she's been around for any long periods of time."

"Sometimes……I feel like….." Asuka began to say before hands gently squeezed her shoulders.

"It's not your fault how Yui turned out." Belldandy said softly, "As it is, she is an excellent goddess."

"Guardian."

"Guardian then." Belldandy said with a smile. "Give her a bit of time. I'm sure she'll be alright."

"If you say so." Asuka was quiet a moment. "Why didn't you send Sayoko?"

"Sayoko……….still has her moments." Belldandy replied, "I didn't want to put her in that kind of situation for a long period of time. Besides, Arael and Yui have been quite close."

Asuka frowned. "There's something else you're not saying."

"You're right." Belldandy sighed, "I just keep getting the feeling that something is going to happen. Either here or down there."

"Then why send…….?"

"Because Arael is by far the strongest person in the heavens, second only to Kami-sama and you Guardians. With her there, Yui and Keima will be safe."

"I hope your right Belldandy."

"So do I."


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"I can't believe I've fallen to this." muttered Yui.

"It's only been 4 days." replied Bloodberry, "And it's not that bad."

Yui stared at Bloodberry, "How can going from being a celestial being to a waitress be seen as not bad?"

"Your right." Bloodberry said with a wave of her hand, "I have no idea what you're going through, even though you've been telling us the last 4 days."

Yui cringed. "I've been complaining that much?"

Bloodberry nodded. "Cherry was getting ready to smack you with a frying pan."

"Oh." Yui looked back towards the kitchen, "Think she'd mind a little help in there?"

"Cherry typically likes being alone in her kitchen. But go on," Bloodberry waved her hand, "It's not like there are that many customers today."

Yui headed into the kitchen. Bloodberry returned to serving the other customers when the door opened, admitting a tired Lime and Keima.

"Hey you two!" shouted Bloodberry, "How was class?"

"It sucked." muttered Lime, "We have to do a report on pre-female Terra 2."

"That doesn't seem that bad." Bloodberry replied.

"It's a report on the economic impact of an all-male society."

"Ok…….that does sound bad."

Keima looked around.

"Where's Yui?"

"DON'T TOUCH THA….."

BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!! The entire building shuddered from the blast in the kitchen.

"What was that?!" asked Keima.

"Yui must have found the left over 'Spice' that one of the Saber Dolls left." Bloodberry said.

"Saber Dolls?" Keima looked confused, "Haven't heard of them. Who are they?"

"Marionettes that Dad and Mom know." answered Lime, "One of them used to baby-sit us when we were younger."

"Yeah." Bloodberry said, "Tiger. Wonder how she is?"

"Probably off with Uncle Faust." Lime replied.

"I see." Keima bent down and grabbed Lime's bag. "I'll take this upstairs."

"Thank you." Lime said as Keima moved upstairs. She then looked over at Bloodberry. "So how has Yui been doing?"

"She hates waitressing." Bloodberry said, "As to cooking…….."

There was a loud crash in the kitchen, followed by Cherry crying about her kitchen.

"………..maybe it's a god thing." Bloodberry said, "I mean, Keima can't cook either."

"Excuse me."

Bloodberry and Lime turned to see a cloaked figure standing in the doorway. The figures face was shrouded in darkness from the hood pulled over its head.

"Welcome to Otaru's." Bloodberry said, "Can I help you?"

The figure moved into the restaurant and pulled back the hood, revealing a woman who appeared to be in her twenties but she had gray hair.

"I am looking for Keima Morisato or Yui Ikari." The woman said.

"Who are you?" asked Lime.

"I'm….." began the woman, but she was interrupted by shouting from the kitchen.

"OUT OUT OUT!" shouted Cherry.

"Fine! I'm going!" replied Yui, "You don't need to……" Yui's voice trailed off as she saw the woman. "Arael? What are you doing here?"

Arael smiled, "Your mother and Lady Belldandy asked me to come here."

Yui's face fell. "You're here to keep an eye on me."

"Well……..yes."

Yui sighed, "Mom doesn't trust me does she?"

Arael shifted slightly.

"It's not that. I'm here to…."

"You're here because she doesn't trust me." Yui said. She then turned and went up the stairs, almost knocking Keima over.

"Geez Yui!" he shouted, "What's wrong with…….?" His voice trailed off as he spotted Arael. "Arael? What are you doing here?"

"Your mother and Guardian Asuka sent me to help Yui." Arael said, "Unfortunately, my presence seems to have hurt her further."

"Don't worry about it." Keima said, "She'll get over it. So what's new upstairs? Mom raking everyone over the coals yet?"

Arael frowned. "I don't see how raking anyone would accomplish anything."

Keima smiled. "Same old Arael."

Lime walked up to Keima. "Who are you?"

"I am Arael. The 15th Messenger."

"What?"

"She's an Angel." Keima said, "You remember in history class they talked about how Earth was attacked by enormous beings back in the early 2000s?"

"Those Angels!?" Lime looked at Arael. "But your supposed to be 400 feet tall and vicious killing…….."

Keima glanced at Lime. "She's not like that anymore. She's been forgiven for her past."

"I know what I am supposed to be." Arael said softly, "Rest assured that I am not like that anymore."

"Arael is the last of her kind." Keima said, "And she's a good friend to Yui and me."

"Well if she's a friend of yours then she's a friend of mine." Lime held out her hand. "Lime Maimya."

Arael glanced at Lime's hand.

* Your supposed to shake. * came Keima's voice.

* I knew that. * replied Arael as she took Lime's hand. "Arael."

"I suppose you'll be staying with us as well?" asked Cherry.

"Why not?" said Lime, "We have room for one more."

Cherry looked at Bloodberry who just shrugged.

"Fine." Cherry said, "She can stay. But she'd better help out." Cherry then turned on her heel and walked back into the kitchen. Bloodberry waited till Cherry was back in the kitchen before turning and looking at Arael.

"Welcome to the family."

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In the depths of space they had sat for millions of years, floating in an orbit that had been set long before many of the planets had completely formed around the far off sun.

Until they were hit by the blast wave from an explosion..

Now they had a new course. Only one thing lay in their path.

Terra 2

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That night.

Yui sat on the roof of the apartment looking up at the stars. She had been doing this the last several nights, looking up towards her home, wondering if her parents were looking down at her.

"Are you there Mom? Dad?" Yui said softly, "I wish I could speak to you."

"They have been watching you."

Yui turned to see Arael had appeared beside her.

"What do you want?" Yui asked.

"They are worried about you." Arael said softly, "Lady Belldandy, your parents. I was sent here for you, not to spy but to help."

Yui laughed, but without humor. "What do I need help with?"

"We know why you came." Arael said, "I know you can't talk to Keima about it, nor can you talk to the others. Please just talk to me."

"You wouldn't understand." muttered Yui.

"It's true, I do not yet understand your social interactions." Arael said, "But I would like to."

Yui glanced at Arael, and saw the concerned look on the Angel's face.

"Alright." Yui said, and she began to speak.

From the edge of the roof, Keima watched, and smiled. He then floated downward to the balcony where Lime waited.

"Well?" she asked.

"I think she's going make it." Keima said.

Lime wrapped her arms around Keima. "I'm glad. I know you were worried about her."

Keima wrapped his arms around Lime and both stared off into the sky. A small pinpoint of light flared briefly, leaving a trail through the night sky.

"Look a falling star." Lime said quietly, "Make a wish."

"Don't need to." Keima said, "I'm happy with things right now. You make a wish."

"Nope. Already made mine earlier." Lime said with a smile.

Keima returned the smile and started to lean towards Lime. Lime, realizing what Keima was about to do, closed her eyes and leaned forward to meet him. Just as their lips were about to touch, a loud boom echoed throughout Japoness. Both turned and looked back at the sky.

"What was……." Lime's eyes widened.

The sky above was filled shooting stars. Off in the distance, a faint glow on the edge of Japoness told her that one had hit the ground. With another blast, another ripped through a building in Japoness, shattering the upper stories of the building before slamming into a residential area.

Cherry and Bloodberry ran onto the balcony.

"What's going on out here?" shouted Cherry. Then she and Bloodberry saw them.

"Meteors."  Bloodberry whispered, "There must be dozens of them."

"YUI! ARAEL!" Keima shouted. Both peered over the edge of the roof down at Keima. "We have to try and stop the meteors. Arael try and deflect them with your AT Field. Yui and I will shoot down any that get through."

Arael nodded and vanished in a flash. Within seconds the sky seemed to take on an orange glow. Several times it flash as meteors impacted with the orange glow.

"Come on Yui." Keima floated off the balcony towards the sky.

"Keima!" shouted Lime. Keima looked back at her. "Be careful!"

Keima smiled at her before he and Yui vanished into the night. Within seconds, more flashes began to appear in the night sky.

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The next morning

Lime, Cherry, and Bloodberry sat around the TV watching the news.

"…..Officials still don't have any explanation why the meteor shower broke up." The TV said, "Scientists report that plasma in the atmosphere may have contributed to breaking up many of the larger meteors, but that a definitive reason cannot be found. As it stands, several areas of the six countries were flattened, the lose of life is not yet known, but could number in the tens of thousands."

"Ouch." Bloodberry muttered.

Lime glanced over to see Arael coming down the stairs.

"How are they?" asked Lime.

"Drained." The effort by Yui and Keima to blast the meteors had caused them to use up almost all of their powers. Both had collapsed upon return.

"It will take them awhile to recover." Arael said, "And Yui will be awake before Keima." 

"Aww." muttered Lime.

"Shh!" everyone glanced at Cherry, "It's Faust."

On the TV, Faust, former leader of Gartlant, had appeared.

"Using telescopes and radar," Faust began, "We believe that this meteor storm was caused by the explosion of the Neomesopotamia twenty years ago. And it is not over."

"What?!?" shouted the 3 girls. Arael remained silent.

"These meteors that hit us were fairly close to Terra 2." continued Faust, "but there are asteroids that were further out in the system that are now on their way here. Over the next several days, we will be experiencing more meteor showers. The size of some of them may cause significant damage. It is recommended that all citizens of Terra 2 try to seek cover where ever possible."

Outside the apartment people began to shout and race about, trying to pack their belongings and seek safer ground.

Faust wasn't finished however.

"At this time, we are preparing a spacecraft which will go up, and attempt to destroy some of the larger asteroids with a plasma cannon and by any other means necessary. Until then we can only hope, and pray."

Lime looked at Arael. "Can't you do something?"

Arael shook her head. "I can only project my AT-Field so far. I cannot cover the earth completely."

"What about other gods?" asked Bloodberry, "Can't they help?"

Arael frowned slightly, then reached into her robes and pulled out a small object.

"Let's find out."

Arael set the device on a table and pressed several buttons. A small circle was projected on the floor in front of the device. Arael stood in it. The air over the device began to flicker before the full size image of a woman with purple hair appeared.

"What is it Arael?"

"Cayla." Arael nodded to the figure, "I need to speak with Lady Belldandy."

The hologram nodded. "I'll inform her." The image of Cayla then vanished.

"Who's Belldandy?" Cherry asked quietly.

"Keima's Mom." replied Lime. She was pretty eager to see what Keima's mom looked like.

The air over the device flickered again. Lime, Cherry, and Bloodberry gasped as a beautiful woman with long light brown hair appeared. Arael fell to one knee before the image.

"Milady."

Belldandy frowned. "I thought I told you not to kneel before me."

"Yes you have." Arael said, "When we are alone."

Belldandy's eyes widened slightly, then reached a hand towards something just out of view. She then turned and looked at Lime, Cherry, and Bloodberry.

"I see." Belldandy seemed to stare at Lime the longest, at least that's what it felt like to Lime. She then turned back to Arael. "What is it?"

"There has been a meteor strike on Terra 2." Arael said.

Belldandy nodded, "I know."

"Then you know that there are more on the way." Arael said, "I would request assistance in removing the threat."

A sad look appeared on Belldandy's face.

"Unfortunately, because the original situation was created by a mortal, we cannot interfere."

"WHAT!?!?" shouted Bloodberry, "You can't help us?!"

"People are going to die!" shouted Cherry.

"I know that." If possible, Belldandy looked even sadder as she addressed the mortals. "And I wish everyday that I could stop it. But we cannot interfere with events not caused by god or demon."

"So you're saying it's our problem." Bloodberry said.

"I am sorry." Lime could tell from the goddess' voice, she really was sorry.

Belldandy looked back at Arael.

"I know you, Yui, and Keima will do what think is necessary, but you will not receive any help from the heavens. I truly am sorry." With that, Belldandy's image vanished.

"So we're screwed." muttered Bloodberry.

"No." Arael said softly, "We will do what we can, and hope that the Saber Dolls can do the rest."

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Lord Faust looked out into the night sky. Flashes of light showed where small meteors burned up in the atmosphere. Occasionally, a large one streaked across the sky, impacting somewhere in the uninhabited regions. Behind him, Luchs and Panther worked to finish the last minute preparations to the spacecraft.

"Lord Faust."

Faust turned to see Tiger standing behind him.

"We are seeing strange reading over Japoness." Tiger reported.

"The strange orange tint that blocked the meteors before?" asked Faust.

"Yes sir." Tiger said.

"Let me see it."

Tiger led Faust to a terminal and typed in several commands. Faust frowned as the information scrolled past on the screen. Off in the corner of the screen, a camera view showed a section of sky over Japoness.

"Whatever is producing the shield has a lot of power." He said.

"Yes sir." Tiger replied.

Just then a meteor slammed into the shield where the camera was looking. The shield flared, in a hexagonal pattern. Faust's eyes widened.

"It's an AT-Field." He said.

"But an AT-Field can only be produced by an Angel or and Eva." Tiger said, "And they are all gone."

"All but two." Faust said, "Eva 04 is in the hands of heaven, as is the 15th."

"We would know if Eva 04 was here." Tiger said, "So it must be the 15th."

Faust nodded, "But why Japoness? What is there that is so important?"

Tiger frowned for a moment, then her face lit up.

"The girls are there." Tiger then smiled, "Lorelei did say Lime had a boyfriend. Maybe that god I told you about came back."

"Lord Faust!" shouted Luchs, "We're ready!"

Faust nodded to Luchs, then looked back at Tiger.

"Take the ship up. Destroy as many of the big asteroids as you can. Luchs should be able to identify those that will harm."

"Yes sir."

Faust then smiled. "Come back safely Tiger."

Tiger returned the smile. "I will sir."

Tiger turned and joined the others on the ship. As it took off, Faust typed a command into the terminal. On the screen Otaru and Lorelei appeared.

"They are on their way."

Lorelei nodded. "We're on our way down into the caves below the house. I think it will provide some protection from anything that hits near us."

"Alright. By the way, do you know anything about the AT-Field over Japoness?"

Both Otaru and Lorelei looked surprised.

"AT-Field?"

"Yes." said Faust, "Do you suppose the Gods are helping us?"

Lorelei looked at Otaru who nodded. Lorelei then looked at Faust.

"We know of only one god on the planet. Keima Morisato is apparently with Lime, Cherry, and Bloodberry in Japoness. Apparently he and Lime are…….dating." Lorelei then shrugged. "But we haven't heard much else from them. If we hear anything important, we'll let you know."

Faust nodded. "Good luck."

"Good luck to us all."


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Earth

Neo-Tokyo (formerly Tokyo-2/3)

The city stretched across the land for miles. It also went down almost a mile below the surface, and soared upwards towards the sky. Massive towers blocked out the sky, so that those at ground level couldn't tell if it was day or night.

It was down in this darkness that 2 men ran. They ran as if the devil himself was after them. They ran down an alley and only stopped when they reached a T crossing.

"Which way?"

"I dunno." He looked right then left. "I'll go this way, you go that way."

The first man nodded and started to run in the indicated direction. He ran for a bit then stopped.

"HEY!" He started to turn around to argue with his friend, but rapidly approaching footsteps caused him to turn and continue. He had only gotten another 50 yards when he tripped. Sitting up, he looked around, but couldn't see what he had tripped on. He stood up and was about to start running when something cold pressed against the back of his head. He turned his head slightly to see a woman with blond hair and fiery red eyes.

"In the name of God," she said in English, "Impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation."

The gun barked, echoing throughout the alley. The man fell, headless. As soon as he hit the ground, his body collapsed into dust.

"Amen." She said as she holstered the massive gun. She took a deep breathe, then glanced off to the side. "You can come out now."

Stepping out of the shadows was a cloaked figure, hood pulled down hiding the face from view.

"Nice shot Celes." The figure said, "But you let one get away."

"He'll be found." replied Celes Victoria, "Now don't we have somewhere to be?"

The figure nodded. "Of course."

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The man continued to run, oblivious to what had happened to his partner. He finally can to stop and leaned against the wall, breathing heavily.

"Oh man." He muttered, "I thought I'd never get away from that bitch."

Soft quiet steps came from behind him. The man turned around.

"Is that you………. ARGHH!" A strange blade stabbed into his neck and out the back. He fell to his knees, struggling to remove the blade. Something on it burned him painfully. He looked up to see a figure standing before him, light reflecting off the figures glasses gave them an eerie glow.

"We are the ministers of God." The figure said, pulling out two more identical blades, "In flaming fire, we take vengeance on those that know not God, and obey not the Catholic gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power – this honour have all his saints………..Amen."

"What….are you?" the man gurgled.

"I deliver thee to hell," the figure said. In a flash, the mans head was removed. Both body and head turned to dust. The figure looked down at the dust and smiled. He then turned towards the sky. "I will find you yet Celes Victoria, Dust to dust, for dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return."

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"Where are we going dad?"

The man smiled at his son as they walked the streets of Neo-Tokyo.

"Well Shinji," he said, "Do you remember the story I told you?"

Shinji shrugged, "No."

"Well then let me remind you." The father said with a smile, "My father's Grandparents were very kind people and very wealthy. They always helped the sick and the poor. They were also very spiritual, going to church every Sunday. But for all they did, they lacked the one thing that would make their lives complete, a child. They had tried for many years, but were unable to have a child. Finally, one day on his way home from work, your Great Great Grandfather passed the Memorial Church, where the children of the Evas are supposed to be buried. He walked in and knelt before the tomb where our Ancestor, Touji Suzuhara is said to be buried and prayed to God that he and your great great grandmother might have a child, to keep the Suzuhara family alive. As he prayed, her heard a woman weeping. He followed the sound until he found a young woman, kneeling before a lit candle. He asked her 'Why are you crying?' To which she replied, 'I cry every year on this day. This is the day my love died.' He took pity on the woman and knelt beside her, placing his arm around her. 'Do not worry,' he told her, 'I am sure he is with God and even though he cannot be with you in person, he is in your heart always.' The young woman smiled at our ancestor and told him 'Thank you for your kind words. In return, I grant you that which you desire most.' Our ancestor was confused by her words, after all, what did this woman know of his want for a child. He merely nodded to her and remained with her awhile longer, before she rose and left. He started to follow her, but upon exiting the Church, he discovered the woman was nowhere in sight. Upon returning home, his wife had wonderful news for him, she was with child. 9 months later, he was the proud father of a baby boy. One year to the day that he first entered the Memorial Church, he returned with his wife and child, hoping the young woman was there. She was, and he introduced her to his child. Both he and his wife thanked her for helping them. She told them that thanks was not necessary, that their unselfish work helping others had brought them before the eyes of God, who deemed them worthy, They returned every year after to be with the woman on that day. His son continued the tradition, as did my grandfather, and then my father, and now me."

Shinji frowned, "But how can she still be alive? She must be over 100!"

"Actually she's around 545."

Shinji stared at his father, "You can't be serious."

"Oh but I am." The father replied, "Wouldn't you like to meet her?"

Shinji shrugged, "I think I'll go and read the inscriptions on the other tombs. Is it true what they say? That only the Children are here?"

"400 years ago, The city couldn't expand much further. So it was decided to use the old cemetery. Those who were buried their were moved and reburied in the great cemetery on the moon. Those whose graves were empty, were honored by having their name inscribed on a wall in the tombs of the church, thus it is the Memorial Church, so that they will always be remembered."

They entered the church through the massive bronze doors. Shinji immediately took off and headed toward the tombs. The father entered the main hall and took a quick glance around. Five chapels lined the walls, one for each of the children of Eva. He walked over to the Suzuhara chapel and lit a candle, joining the many already there. He then crossed over to Morisato Chapel, and lit a candle there. He then knelt down and waited. Within a few minutes he heard soft footsteps walk up to the Chapel. Another lit candle joined his, and a cloak figure knelt down beside him.

"How was your trip.?" The father asked.

"The city keeps changing." The figure replied, "Sometimes I wonder if he'd even recognize the earth as it is now." The figure looked over at the father. "How is Shinji, Touji?"

Touji Suzuhara the third smiled, "He's growing up fast. I told him the story again."

The figure chuckled. "Ahh That story. Doesn't get dull though the years does it?"

"No." replied Touji, "His sister thinks it gets more beautiful with age. As do you Sayoko-sama."

The figure pulled back her hood to reveal the blushing face of Sayoko Morisato.

"I thought I told you to knock that off."

"You did back when I was………24 I believe." Touji smiled, "But you still are beautiful."

"And you are happily married." added Sayoko.

"Yes I am. But even my wife agrees." Touji glanced over his shoulder to see a blond hair woman with red eyes watching them. "You brought her again. I'm surprised, I thought she didn't like it here."

"She tolerates it for me." Sayoko said, "And so long as she doesn't touch any silver or get splashed by Holy Water, she'll be fine." Sayoko then bowed her head down. Touji, not wanting to interrupt her silent prayers, remained silent.

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Several hours later

Celes didn't really mind being in the church. She thought it was actually quite pretty. It was just that she was………allergic certain things in the building. She had been in the Church several times over the past 500 years, but she never got tired of reading the inscriptions. It was while she was walking along the tomb that she noticed something out of place. Something seemed to be sticking out of the wall. As she got closer, her blood ran cold. A sword was stuck into stone, holding a piece of paper tightly against wall. A paper with prayers all over it.

Written in Latin.

"Oh now…." muttered Celes, "It can't be him. Not him."

Soft footsteps echoed from further down the tomb. Celes turned and ran, not wanting to meet the person whom those footsteps might belong to.

She entered the main hall at a run and looked around. Everything was as it had been when she left, only the descendant of Touji Suzuhara had left for dinner. Celes moved up silently behind Sayoko.

"We have to go."

Sayoko didn't move.

"What?" she asked softly.

"HE is here."

Sayoko frowned, though Celes couldn't see it.

"He?"

"Yes HIM."

"Celes I have no idea what you are talking about."

"The one I told you about." Celes said through clenched teeth. "The Regenerator."

Sayoko's eyes popped open.

"Father Anderson?"

"Yes." hissed Celes, getting more and more agitated.

Sayoko rose calmly and pulled her hood over her head.

"Then lets go."

Celes was more then happy enough to lead the way out as they left. Behind them, a man in gray priest robes walked up to where Sayoko had just been kneeling. He then looked just in time to see Sayoko's robe vanishing through the massive bronze doors.

"Until next time Abomination." He said softly. 

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"First asteroid coming up." Panther said.

"Targeting." Luchs flipped several switches. "And firing."

For the past several days, the Saber Dolls had been flying about in space, destroying those asteroids that would cause significant damage Terra 2, or breaking them up into smaller pieces. Some did get by however.

"What's the word from the surface?" asked Tiger.

"Lord Faust says that there have been several hits on the surface." Luchs reported, "All in outlying or in uninhabited areas."

Tiger nodded.

"Alright Panther, where's the next target."

"The next target is….." Panther frowned, "What the? There's another ship!"

"A ship? Where?"

"Twenty degrees to port. About 20,000 yards."

Tiger piloted the ship towards the location. Soon they had arrived at the location. Through the large front window, they could see the shattered hulk of the other ship. Luchs stared hard at the ship, allowing her sensors to look it over. Her eyes widened in shock.

"It can't be……"

"What is it Luchs?" asked Tiger.

"It's the Neomesopotamia." replied Luchs.

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"You found what?" asked Faust.

"The Neomesopotamia." replied Tiger, "The back end is pretty much shattered, but the front still appears to be intact. There's even a few lights on. We're going to attempt to board it."

"What about the Asteroids?"

"Our latest scans show none closer then 3 days to Terra 2."

Faust nodded. "Very well. I'll inform the 6 countries."

Faust broke the connection with the Saber Dolls, then informed the 6 leaders. He then tried to get a hold of Lorelei and Otaru.

He only got static.

Even if they couldn't have answered the call, there would have been some kind of response. But it was like Otaru and Lorelei were not even there. Faust typed in a command and brought up the locations of the meteor hits.

One of them had hit right in the area where Otaru and Lorelei's house was.

"Oh no." He quickly turned and called another number.

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Cherry walked over and picked up the phone.

"Hello?" Cherry's eyes widened. "Oh! Hello Uncle Faust. How is……WHAT?!" Cherry's face went white. Bloodberry looked over in concern.

"Yes sir. I understand. We're heading right over." Cherry dropped the phone and raced to the stairs. "LIME!"

"What!?" Lime came down the stairs. "What is it?"

Cherry looked at her two sisters. "That was Uncle Faust. He said that a meteor had hit near home. He can't reach Mom or Dad."

Lime immediately turned and raced for Keima's room. She flung the door open and raced to his side.

"Keima! Wake up!" When he didn't respond, Lime began to shake him. "Come on wake up!"

"Hey! Ow! Stop! I'm up!" Keima slowly sat up. "What is it?"

Tears were rolling down Lime's face. "A meteor hit the house. Dad and Mom aren't answering any calls."

Keima wrapped his arms around Lime.

"Maybe they just can't get to a phone."

"Maybe." Lime looked up at Keima's face. "Can…..can you take us there?"

Keima nodded, "I'll get Arael. She can teleport us all there."

"Thank you Keima."

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Neomesopotamia

"See anything?" asked Tiger.

"Yeah," replied Panther, "A whole lot of blasted nothing." She kicked a girder out of the way. "Why are we here?"

"To see why this ship still has power." Luchs said as she pushed a door open. She then peered inside. "Oh……."

"What is it?"

"I think I found Dr. Hess. And some kind of marionette." Luchs pulled the door shut. "You don't want to see, it's not pretty."

"Hey over here." shouted Panther.

The other two Saber Dolls walked over to where Panther was standing. Part of the flooring had buckled from the blast and peeled back to reveal a glowing sphere.

"Plasma Tank." Luchs said, "Still fully charged. If that goes off………."

Tiger looked up. "How big a blast are we talking about?"

"Big."

"Are there anymore?"

"Maybe." Luchs looked at Tiger curiously, "Why?"

"Because if we set them all off, maybe we can send the asteroids off in a different direction."

"Or we could send them to Terra 2 even faster." Panther said.

"So we'll shoot them down. Or that Angel will get them." Tiger looked at Luchs, "Where are rest of the Plasma Tanks?"

"There should be a diagram on the bridge," Luchs said, "along with their status."

"Alright then." Tiger turned and started walking, "Lets go to the bridge."

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With a grinding creak, the door to the bridge slid open. Luchs carefully peered inside, her eyes flashing as she scanned. The bridge was heavily damaged. Pieces of equipment had pulled away from the walls and smashed themselves against the opposite wall or other equipment. Debris was everywhere.

"Well?" came Panther's voice from behind her.

"It's a mess." replied Luchs as she continued to look about.

"Is it safe to enter?" asked Tiger.

"It seems so." replied Luchs, "I'm not seeing any serious………" Luchs' voice trailed off.

"What is it?" asked Tiger.

"I can see an arm." Luchs said softly, "I think it's Cherry's."

"Oh." Tiger really did NOT want to see what was left of them, but they had a job to complete.

"Maybe we could take them back?" asked Panther.

"We'll see. Let's see about  the ship first." Tiger said, "Luchs, where is the panel for the Plasma Tanks?"

"Over there." Luchs pointed to where a large computer display had smashed against a terminal.

The three marionettes walked through the room quietly, as if it was a tomb. They tried hard not to look at the floor, as every time they did, they saw a part that was once in a marionette. On three occasions, they spotted limbs, only one was readily recognized as belonging to Cherry.

"Panther can you….." Tiger pointed at the computer display laying against the terminal.

Panther grabbed hold of the display and with a grunt, shoved it off to the side. The three then gasped. Sitting on the terminal was a marionette head, most of it's skin blasted away. One eye remained in it and it stared blankly at them.

Tiger finally found her voice, "Can you tell who……?"

Luchs shook her head.

"Not without………closer inspection………the serial number would be…….somewhere."

"Can we hurry up and get out of here?" Panther said, "I hate this place."

"Luchs what about the other Plasma Tanks?" Tiger looked over to see Luchs still staring at the marionette head. "LUCHS!"

"What?!" Luchs spun and looked at Tiger.

"Just….don't look at it. Check the Plasma Tanks. If they have enough will blow the ship and end the asteroid threat."

"Right." Luchs looked over the terminal, avoiding the stare from the head. "There are four tanks, two of them are full. The other two are only 1/3 full. All four have enough plasma to do what we want."

"Alright." Tiger glanced at the marionette head. "Panther, go back to our ship. Find something we can put………them into."

Panther nodded and hurried off, leaving Luchs and Tiger alone.

"Let's start gathering them up." Tiger said quietly.

After several minutes of gathering, Luchs called over to Tiger.

"Do you still miss them?"

"In some ways, yes." Tiger replied, "I like the girls, but……..They don't remember anything from before. It's strange to see them all grown up. They look so much like they did back then, but their personalities have changed over time."

"They're only human." Luchs replied, "Humans change based on life experiences. Take Lord Faust for instance."

Tiger nodded, "From world domination to world peace. Seems like a lifetime ago some…….."

Thump.

Tiger looked around. "Did you hear that?"

Luchs shook her head. "Hear what?"

"I swear I heard something."

Thump.

"There it is again!"

Luchs eyes lit up. "That time I heard it." Her eyes narrowed on an area of the bridge. "There's something over there."

Tiger and Luchs made their way across the bridge. They came to a spot where a lot of debris had piled up. Carefully, they began to move the pieces away. Suddenly Tiger gasped and backed away. Luchs looked to see what had scared Tiger.

Laying amongst the debris was a marionette hand………..

And it was twitching.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Lime, Keima, Cherry, Bloodberry, Yui, and Arael appeared in a flash next to a large vehicle. Standing beside the vehicle was Lord Faust. If he was surprised by their sudden appearance, he didn't show it.

"Lime, Cherry, Bloodberry." He nodded to each girl, then looked at the three deities. "I had heard you were back."

Yui gave a small smile. "Nice to see you to Lord Faust."

"What about Dad and Mom?" asked Cherry.

Faust turned and pointed. Beyond him was the building that the three girls had called home. Half of the house was now gone, collapsed into a large crater. As they looked down into the crater, they could see the honeycomb of caves that lay beneath the surface of Terra 2.

"Baiko and Tamasaburo have been searching the caves for them." Faust said, "Their sensors are being hampered by minerals in the rock. So far, they have found nothing."

"What about the Saber Dolls?" asked Bloodberry.

"They're still in space. I left a message for them to come straight here." Faust glanced over at the three deities. "I don't suppose you can help?"

"We intend to try." Yui said as she glanced at the crater.

"Yui." Keima said, "Can I speak to you and Arael a second?"

Yui frowned but followed Keima and Arael away from the mortals.

"What is it?" asked Yui.

Keima glanced back at the others before looking at Yui and Arael. When he spoke, it was in the god's language.

"How are we going to help them?" he asked, "I can barely read Lime's mind right now as it is. We're too weak."

"We can't just sit here and do nothing." Yui said, "Besides, with Arael here…………"

"I can't do any spells." Arael said, "I was created for one purpose: to battle demons."

Yui frowned, "You can't?"

"No. That is what Gods were for. We were………..Warhammer so to speak."

"Great." muttered Yui, "We are we going to do now? Sniff them out like bloodhounds?"

"Maybe." Yui and Arael looked at Keima

"What are you thinking?" asked Yui.

Keima looked at Arael, "Do you have your communicator handy?"

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Earth

Neo-Tokyo

The apartment was dark as it was 3 in the morning. A slight buzzing noise could be heard coming from a small device on the dresser. A shape under the covers of the bed shifted around as the buzzing became more obnoxious. Finally with a groan, the covers were tossed aside revealing Sayoko in an oversized t-shirt. She walked up to the dresser and hit several buttons on the device, muttering as she did so. In the air above the device, it hazed slightly before showing the static filled foot tall image of her sibling.

"Hiya Onee-sama!" Keima said with smile.

Sayoko did a quick glance at the communicator to make sure it was only sending him an image of her from the shoulders up before glaring at her brother.

"Do you realize what time it is?!" she shouted.

Keima winced, "Ouch, your still on earth aren't you?"

"Yes."

"Sorry." Keima said.

"I forgive you, but this had better be important."

"Otaru and Lorelei are missing." Keima said, "They might be trapped down in a cave that was hit by a meteor."

Sayoko blinked, "Meteor? What's been going on there?!"

"A lot of things." Keima replied, "Look, Mom can't help because it's a mortal issue."

Sayoko frowned, "Then why are you calling me? I can't reverse Mom's decision."

"No you can't." Keima said, "But I was hoping to might be convinced to bring Celes over here."

Sayoko leaned closer to the image of her brother, and smiled slightly when the foot tall hologram recoiled in fear.

"Do you realize what you're asking?" Sayoko shook her head, "No, of course you know what you're asking. Do you realize how much trouble I could get in?"

Keima was about to reply when he was knocked out of the way, replaced by the image of………Lime?!

"Please." Lime said, "Please help my parents."

Sayoko looked away. She couldn't bare to look into those pain filled eyes. After several moments, she looked back.

"I'll ask Celes." She said, "But no guarantees."

Lime smiled, "Thank you."

Sayoko pressed a button on the device and the image faded. She then turned and headed out of her room towards Celes', hoping that the she was awake.

The Vampire had the nasty tendency to bite people who woke her up unexpectedly.

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Otaru glanced over at Lorelei. She had finally fallen asleep. The last several hours had been really hard for her. First off, they were buried deep beneath the surface. The cave they had been in hadn't been deep enough. The meteor's impact had caused many areas of the cave system to collapse. They were lucky to have survived the collapse, only now to suffer the slow death of starvation. Or would dehydration kill them first? Either way, Otaru could do nothing. His leg was caught under a rock. It wasn't crushed, but pinned enough that he couldn't get out from under it. Otaru lay back and closed his eyes. In his mind, he wondered how the girls were doing.

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"Who is Celes anyway?" asked Cherry.

"Friend of my sisters." Keima said, "A very old friend."

"Also rather mysterious." Yui said, "I've never gotten to meet her, and Mom and Dad say it's up to Sayoko to tell me about her." Yui glanced over at Arael. Arael shook her head.

"Sayoko has never mentioned a Celes to me." Arael said.

Keima turned his head suddenly. "Doesn't matter. They're here."

The ground a short distance away from them had begun to glow. Wind began to blow leaves and twigs about the circle. Faster and faster until there was bright flash. The debris fell to the earth, revealing a hooded figure and a blond woman with sunglasses standing in spot the circle had been. Keima took a few steps towards the hooded figure.

"You know," he said, "You really have to stop dressing like that. You look like those bad guys from that sci-fi movie Touji and Shinji were watching."

"Cute." muttered the figure, "Real cute. I suppose next you'll say Celes looks like she's from the Matrix?"

"Well……."

"Never mind." The figure pulled back her hood, revealing her face. Sayoko smiled at her brother. "How's life with 5 girls?"

Keima shrugged, "Not bad. There are times I really want to ask Dad how he did it." He pointed to the girls. "I believe you remember Cherry and Bloodberry." Sayoko nodded to the two girls. "And this of course is Lime."

Sayoko smiled, "We've met." She then glanced over to the older man. "You still keeping the Saber Dolls inline?"

Faust smiled, "It's been difficult, but they seem to be behaving."

"Right." Sayoko pointed to the blond. "Allow me to introduce Celes Victoria."

Celes waved.

"And how is she going to help us?" asked Bloodberry.

"Celes has a rather unique ability." Keima replied, "She has a very keen sense of smell."

"And what does she use it for?"

Celes smiled, revealing a set of fangs. "It's to help me find food."

Bloodberry and Cherry ran behind Faust while Lime hid behind Keima. Even Faust was surprised.

"What are you?"

"Celes happens to be a Vampire." Sayoko said, "Something that has never been on Terra 2, and probably never will." She looked at Celes. "Ready?"

Celes nodded. Both proceeded towards the crater. Celes then put an arm around Sayoko as they stepped off and dropped. By the time the others had made it to the edge, they could only catch a glimpse of Sayoko's cloak vanishing into a cave.

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"Everything set?" asked Tiger.

Luchs nodded, "The Plasma Tanks are rigged to blow on my command."

Tiger pressed a button on the control panel.

"Is our passenger alright back there Panther?"

"She's weak, but I think I can get her up and about by the time we land."

Tiger smiled, "I wouldn't expect anything less. Especially after what you two did for me." Tiger grabbed hold of the controls. "Hold tight. We're launching."

Tiger hit the switch which engaged the main engines. The ship roared away from the Neomesopotamia.

"5,000……….10,000." Luchs rattled off distances.

"When we hit 40,000 hit it." Tiger said.

"Right. 25,000."

Tiger flipped a switch. A screen beside her lit up to show the Neomesopotamia rapidly vanishing behind them.

"Here it comes. 35,000……."

"Get ready Panther!" Tiger shouted.

"40,000!" Luchs hit the switch.

Behind them, space went bright white as the Plasma Tanks detonated. The screen Tiger had been looking at broke up into static as the camera was overloaded. Seconds later the ship began to violently vibrate as the effects of the blast reached them. A minute later, it was over.

"Status!" called out Tiger.

"All systems Online." replied Luchs, "According to sensors, there are no Asteroids on collision course for Terra 2."

"We did it." Tiger said with a smile, "How are you two doing back there Panther?"

"We're fine." Panther said, "Just so long as we don't have to do that again."

"We won't." Tiger looked over at Luchs. "Send a message to Lord Faust and tell him we're on our way back."

"Roger."

Tiger continued to fly the ship back towards Terra 2. A few minutes later, she heard Luchs gasp.

"What is it Luchs?"

"One of the last meteors to hit Terra 2 landed near Otaru and Lorelei Maimya's. They told Lord Faust they were going underground. They haven't been heard from since."

Tiger turned around and adjusted their course so they could land at the Maimya house. She then hit a switch.

"Panther…………"

"We heard. She's……..she's not happy Tiger."

"I'm getting us there as fast as I can." Tiger said. "Just hold on."

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Celes had removed her sunglasses as her eyes were well suited for the dark. Sayoko's unfortunately, were not. She let out another curse as she tripped on a rock.

"You know for a Goddess you sure curse a lot." Celes said.

"I'm a new age Goddess." Sayoko replied, "Besides, You've never heard Grandpa swear."

"Your kidding." Celes said in shock.

"Nope." Sayoko ducked to avoid a low hanging rock, "Curses things in his name quite a bit, usually after Urd screws up."

"Kami-sama taking his own name in vain." Celes said, "Strange."

Sayoko shrugged, "Any trace of them?"

"I can smell something." Celes said, "A bit of perfume, but I the smell of lubricant oil is a bit stronger."

"Must be near Baiko and Tamasaburo." Sayoko said, "If we run into them, let me talk. They should remember me."

"Right."

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Lime, Cherry, and Bloodberry paced back and forth next to the crater Keima sat on the ground, watching Lime. Arael stood of to the side with Yui, who was drawing intricate circles on the ground.

"I can't stand this!" shouted Bloodberry. She turned and started towards the crater. Cherry stopped her.

"And where do you think you're going?" she asked.

"Out of my way." muttered Bloodberry, "I'm going to search for Mom and Dad."

"You'll just get in the way." replied Cherry.

"Or lost." added Lime.

"But I can't just sit here and do nothing!" shouted Bloodberry, "I want to hel……"

A loud bang cut her off. Everyone looked over to see a large burn mark on the ground in front of slightly scorched Yui. The guardian was motionless, her arms remaining over the remains of her circles, blinking confused. Behind her, Arael was picking herself up.

"What the hell was that?" asked Bloodberry.

"Search spell." Keima said softly, "Usually used to track down demons. Yui tried to set it up for mortals."

"Did it work?"

Keima shook his head.

"Small explosions are not the sign of a successful spell. The sign of a successful spell is…." Keima stopped speaking and stared at Lime. "What's wrong Lime?"

Lime was holding onto her head.

"I don't know." She said, "I just…..it doesn't hurt……just…..something weird."

Keima walked up to Lime and held her. As he did so, Bloodberry called out.

"There's a ship coming."

Everyone turned and looked up.

"It's the Saber Dolls." Faust said, "They must have completed their mission."

With a roar, the ship came down and landed near the group. A ramp lowered down to the ground while the hatch slowly slid open. Then something ran out of the ship and vanished off into the crater. Everyone blinked. The object had been nothing but a blur, a blur with squeaking shoes. Squeaking shoes? Faust and Yui both realized they had heard that sound before.

"It can't be……" He muttered.

"It is sir."

The Saber Dolls had exited the ship and were now standing next to Faust.

"You found them?" Yui asked.

The Saber Doll nodded. "We found her and the others on the ship." Tiger continued, "She was the only one in any shape to be repaired."

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Celes stopped walking. Sayoko looked at her curiously.

"What is it?"

"I hear……squeaking." Celes said.

"Squeaking? You mean a mouse?"

"No. This is……too fast"

Sayoko listened. Celes was right. She could hear a rapid squeaking, coming closer by the second. A familiar squeaking.

"It can't be……." She muttered.

"Can't be what?" asked Celes.

Before Sayoko could respond, something blew past them. Seconds after it went by, Celes and Sayoko were hit by the trailing dust cloud. Sayoko's cloak and Celes' jacket whipped about from the wind. A smile came to Sayoko's face.

"Come on." Sayoko started to run after the figure.

"What?" asked Celes.

"If that's who I think it is….She'll lead us right to Otaru and Lorelei."

"What? How?"

"She's following her heart."

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WHAM!

Otaru opened his eyes and glanced around. He and Lorelei were still trapped in the cave. But something woke him up.

WHAM!

Lorelei sat up.

"You hear that?" she asked.

"How could I not." replied Otaru.

WHAM!

A wall across from them began to crack, debris sliding down to the floor. Then the wall burst into the chamber. Otaru and Lorelei covered their faces from the flying rubble. When the dust cleared, footsteps could be heard entering the chamber.

Squeaking ones.

Otaru's eyes went wide as he stared at the figure before him.

"It……can't be……"

Before him was Lime, not his daughter, but the original marionette. Her outfit was scorched and torn, and her arms and legs had bandages wrapped around them, but it was here.

"Otaru!" she shouted as she fell to her knees and wrapped her arms around him. Tears fell from her eyes.

"Lime!" Otaru wrapped his arms around her. Lorelei finally came out of her own shock and joined him in hugging Lime. At the entrance, two people watched.

Sayoko smiled. Celes just looked confused.

"Who is that?"

"That's Lime." replied Sayoko.

"His daughter?"

"No, the Marionette."

Celes shook her head. "You're going to have to explain this all to me."

"I will." Sayoko entered the chamber, "First lets get them to the surface."

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Lime, Cherry, and Bloodberry had resumed their pacing. No matter how hard the three tried, Faust, Yui, and the Saber Dolls refused to tell who 'them' were, or even what had ran past them. Keima was once again sitting on the ground watching Lime pace.

* Hey Brat! *

Keima frowned. * I hate it when you call me that Onee-sama. What is it? *

He heard Sayoko chuckle. * Tell your girlfriend and her sisters we're on our way out. *

"Lime!" shouted Keima, "My sister says they'll be right……."

There was a bright flash and five figures appeared, two of them supporting a third between them.

"DAD! MOM!" shouted the 3 girls as they ran forward and Lorelei and Otaru.

"……nevermind." muttered Keima. He then felt someone's arm around his shoulder.

"You were too slow" Sayoko said.

Keima just glared at his sister.

"Lime?" Yui walked slowly towards the marionette. "Is that you?"

The marionette nodded. "Yui, you got old."

Yui glared at Lime. "I'm not that old!"

"You are!"

"Are not!"

"Are too!"

"Are not!"

"And here I thought she had grown out of that." muttered Sayoko.

"Must be Misato's influence." Keima replied.

"Must be."

"Dad," asked Lime, "Who's that? She looks like me."

"Yeah!" added Bloodberry, "Why does she look like Lime?"

Otaru glanced over at Lorelei. "How do we explain this one?"

Lorelei looked at the girls. "First we get your father medical attention and find a place to stay. Then we'll explain everything."

Sayoko stepped forward. "About the house………"

"What about it?" asked Lorelei.

Sayoko closed her eyes and held her arms out from her sides as she slowly floated upwards, stopping about a foot off the ground. She then brought them together and an energy ball formed. She then raised the energy ball above her head. The ball floated up into the sky before bursting. Everyone watched in awe as the ground pulled itself back together. The house to, slowly reformed in front of them. By the time Sayoko's feet returned to the ground, there was no sign of any damage to the house.

Only Lime (the Marionette) gave voice to what everyone was thinking.

"Wow."

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Inside the house, Lorelei, Otaru, Faust, and the Saber Dolls told the 3 girls and Keima everything about the Marionettes Lime, Cherry, and Bloodberry. Most of it the girls had heard before in school. But hearing about them from the people who knew them, as well as their own origins was surprising to them.

"So what's going to happen to her now?" asked Lime.

"And the other 2 marionettes?" asked Cherry.

 Lime (the Marionette) looked up from where she had been sitting. She hadn't said a thing since entering the house, but in her mind, she was wondering the same exact thing.

"Well," Lorelei said, "First we're going to repair Lime so that she looks as good as new."

"There's nothing we can do for Cherry and Bloodberry." Otaru said sadly, "We'll see about placing them inside the memorial at the Terra 2 Pioneer History Museum."

"I'll help with that." Faust spoke up.

"Us too!" all three Saber Dolls said.

"But what will happen to Lime after?" asked Lime again.

Otaru looked over and found the marionette's eyes on him.

"She'll stay here with us of course!"

Lime (the marionette) looked over at Lorelei in surprise.

"Really?"

"Really."

"Really Really?"

"Really really really." Lorelei said with a smile.

"Yay!"

"Boy she really is like Lime." Bloodberry whispered into Cherry's ear.

"Hey!" Lime shouted and tackled her sisters, "That's mean!"

"Grrr!" Bloodberry grabbed hold of Lime and began to wrestle against her with Cherry's help.

"No fair!" shouted Lime, "Keima help!"

Keima laughed as the girls wrestled about. He then stopped when he noticed their eyes lock on him.

"Hey now," he said backing up, "There's no need to……."

"GET HIM!" shouted Bloodberry as the three dove at him. Keima floated off the ground avoiding them He then landed back on the floor and took off out the door. The three girls were after him in a second.

"Well at least things are back to normal." Otaru said with a sigh.

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Lime walked around the house, looking carefully behind every bush and into every tree for Keima.

'Geez,' she thought, 'When he wants to disappear…….' She froze as a painful thought entered her head. 'What if he returned home to heaven…….?'

"He didn't."

Lime whirled about to find herself face to face with Sayoko.

"Oh!" Lime glanced around, "Where are Yui, Arael, and Celes?"

"Yui and Arael are taking Celes back to Earth." Sayoko said, "but they'll be back. I wanted to speak with you."

"Me?" Lime looked at the goddess nervously.

"Yes you." Sayoko walked over and sat on a rock. "I want to hear it straight from you. What do you think of my brother?"

"What do I think of your brother?" Lime asked.

The goddess' blue eyes continued to stare at her.

"I……I haven't had anything like this in the past to compare it to." Lime said, "They kept the boys and girls separate in school. Only time we saw each other was after school." Lime took a deep breath. "Keima is unlike anyone I've met. He's kind, caring………..I think……..I think I love him." She looked back at Sayoko. "Is that what you want to hear?"

Sayoko stood up and walked over to Lime.

"I've been around for 500 years." Sayoko said softly, "In that time I've only had one true love. He vanished a long time ago, and I still feel the pain of it to this day. I just want to make sure my brother isn't about to experience the same pain."

"I don't want to hurt him." Lime said softly, "I care about him to much to hurt him."

"I know you do." Sayoko said softly. She then reached up and pulled a piece of her earring off. She held it tightly in her hand. There was a soft glow that faded quickly. Sayoko then opened her hand to reveal a necklace with the earring piece on it.

"Here." Sayoko offered it to Lime. "Hold on to that. If you or Keima ever need assistance, squeeze that and I will come."

Lime took the necklace and put it around her neck. Sayoko smiled.

"Take care of my brother."

"I will." Lime said, "If I could find him."

"Oh, that's easy." Sayoko turned and pointed, "He's hiding in your old room."

Lime stared at Sayoko stunned. Then turned and ran into the house. Minutes later there was a loud shout as Lime pounced on Keima. Sayoko smiled before vanishing into the night.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Six men sat in a conference room around a large table. On one wall a video screen flashed various technical displays and images.

"How much?" asked the man at the head of the table.

"In total, Mr. President," spoke one of the others, "approximately 30 billion."

"Well that doesn't seem so bad." One of the others said.

"I wasn't finished. It's 30 billion a month."

"That's 360 billion a year! We can't afford that!"

"I agree it is costly, but in the long run……..it will more then pay off."

The president raised his hand. "Now this can protect the entire country? From anything?"

The man nodded. "Yes sir." The man pressed a button and a map of the city-state appeared on the screen with several areas indicated. "We will place facilities around and in the city at these locations. They will protect the country from both space and land attacks. In addition, the location's will also provide back-up power to the city."

"Excellent." The president said, "When will they be ready?"

"We have built smaller versions of the device. We are currently building a full-scale version out in the wastelands. We will conduct our tests there before completing the facilities here."

"And when are the Tests?"

"They'll be ready in four days."

"Very well." The president said, "You have my blessing to continue this project. Ahh what do you call this project?"

"We call it the S2 Engine/AT-Field Project."

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Arael blinked.

"You want me to do what?" she asked.

Lime held out a pad of paper. "We want you to take down orders and waitress."

"Me? Orders?"

"Yes." Lime put the pad into Arael's hands. "You already know the menu. You just ask the people what they want, and write it down on the pad. All you have to do is be polite, and smile."

Arael looked questioningly at Lime.

"SMILE!"

Arael quickly smiled.

"Good! Now get to work. And if you have any questions, ask Cherry or me." Lime turned on her heel and walked back over to where Cherry was leaning against the bar.

"Are you sure about this?" asked Cherry, "I mean……..she's not exactly outgoing."

"Give her a chance." Lime said, "Unless you want to try Yui again."

Cherry blanched. "No thanks. She barely gets by in the kitchen as it is."

Lime glanced into the kitchen and saw only Bloodberry working over the stove.

"Where is Yui?"

"She's at home with Dad and Mom." Cherry replied, "Apparently, Yui met the Marionette Lime before they were even married. They wanted her around to help the marionette adjust." Cherry gave Lime a smile. "It's been over twenty years after all."

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"Otaru doesn't love me anymore."

Yui glared at Lime (the marionette). "That's not true and you know it!"

Lime looked up at Yui, "How do you know?"

"Lime, I may not be a true Goddess, but I was taught the basics." Yui tapped her head. "I can tell what he is thinking about. Ever since you came back both he AND Lorelei have been very happy. You have no idea how much pain they were in when you three didn't come back."

"But we didn't all come back." Lime said sadly, "Cherry……...and Bloodberry……"

Yui placed her hand on Limes, "I know. There's nothing we can do to bring them back either. They will be missed."

"I wish I hadn't been brought back." Lime muttered.

"Don't say that Lime! I already told you everyone was happy you were back! Why do you say such things?"

Lime glared at Yui. "If Otaru missed us so much how did he get three girls who have the same names and look like us? He replaced us!"

"From what I know, it was Hess that created them, from the Lorelei master clone." Yui said softly, "Some kind of signal was sent from the Neomesopotamia as it exploded. Tiger, Luchs, Panther, even Lorelei felt it. It lead Faust and Otaru to a cave where the 3 cloned girls were. As far as anyone knew, that was all that was left of you three. He raised them as his own children. Six years later, he married Lorelei."

Lime sighed, "I still feel left out, unwanted."

"You're not unwanted." Yui said softly.

Lime was quiet for a bit.

"So who's Keima?" she finally asked.

Yui smiled. "Keima is Belldandy's son. Sayoko's little brother."

"But what is he doing here?"

"Well, the other Lime made a wish……….."

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"YOU WHAT!?!?" shouted Faust.

The man on the screen flinched.

"I have no idea why your shouting Faust. You of all people would understand the precautions that New Texas is taking. We wish to protect the human life on this planet from destruction."

"Find another why then!" Faust replied, "The S2 technology created many problems on Earth! That is why it was abandoned! Don't you read any history!?!?"

"Yes I do Gerhard." replied the man, "The S2 engine, which I admit caused certain……..issues on the Earth, will be put to good use here."

Faust rubbed his face. "Chris, your NSM-X1 design was a failure. What makes you think that this will be any different.

Doctor Chris Richardson frowned. "My marionette design may have been flawed, but this design goes back to Earth and the design of the Evangelions! We will succeed!" The Doctor then sat back in his chair. "I am so sure of success that I invite you to attend the activation test in four days. Feel free to bring whoever you want to."

"I will be there Chris." Faust said, "If only to make sure it is not a disaster."

Richardson narrowed his eyes. "There will be no disaster Gerhard. You can be sure of that!" His image vanished from the screen. Faust immediately entered in several commands. Within minutes, Lorelei appeared on his screen.

"What is it Faust?" asked Lorelei.

"We have a problem." Faust said.

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"I still don't get it." Lime said.

"Lime," Yui said, gritting her teeth, "I've explained it to you 3 times now."

"But if you love him so much, why did you give him up?"

"Because in the end, I couldn't win." Yui sighed, "If I had continued to press after him, I would have been alienated from him, and everyone else around me." Yui looked at Lime and smiled. "So in the end, I decided it was better to be his friend."

"Yui!"

Yui and Lime turned to see Lorelei and Otaru running towards them.

"What is it?" Yui asked.

"Could you get us to Japoness Castle?" Lorelei asked, "Something's happened and we're meeting Faust there." Lorelei paused a second. "We may want to bring Arael along as well."

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In a flash, Otaru, Lorelei, Lime (the marionette), and Yui appeared inside Castle Japoness. Faust stood silently nearby with Baiko and Tamasaburo.

"Baiko-chan Tama-chan. HI!" Lime shouted.

The Imperial Guard stared at Lime for a moment.

"JSM-01L." Baiko said, "Operating System 'Lime'"

"You were believed lost." Tamasaburo said.

"Yeah well." Lime seemed to deflate slightly, "I was."

Faust looked at Lorelei and Otaru. "We have to decide quickly what to do about the situation."

"What is the situation?" asked Yui, "Lorelei didn't have time to tell me."

Faust's eyes narrowed. "New Texas plans to activate an S2 engine."

Yui's eyes widened. "Are they crazy!?! Don't they know…….."

"Yes they know." Lorelei said, "But they don't seem to care. Lime." Lorelei turned and looked at the Marionette. "I need you to run to the apartment. Bring everyone here."

Lime nodded. "Yes Lorelei." She then turned and ran off.

Yui looked at Faust. "Can I make a call?"

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"I did what was asked." Arael said as the customer stormed out of the shop.

Lime (the mortal) was holding her head in her hands while Keima rubbed her shoulders.

"Arael." Keima said softly, "He didn't mean 'Step on it' in the literal sense of stepping on his food. He meant hurry up."

Arael frowned. "Why didn't he say that then? You Lilim make this all to……."

"Mortals!" Keima shouted, "NOT Lilim!"

"I'm sorry." Arael dropped her head and looked at the floor. "Please forgive me."

"Don't worry about it." Lime said softly, "That guy has been in here many times. He's always obnoxious. Just, try harder next time."

"Yes Ma'am."

"And stop it with the Ma'am. I'm Lime."

Arael looked up at Keima, then back to Lime.

"Alright, Lime."

Lime sighed and placed her head on the table.

"Finally, something going right."

The door to the restaurant burst open, revealing Lime (the marionette) standing there. The Marionette briefly took in the sight of the human version of her getting her shoulders rubbed by Keima, then shook it off.

"Lorelei needs to see everyone at the Castle." She said calmly.

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As the group of six approached the castle, Lime (the mortal) noticed that it seemed different.

There still was no Shogun in power. Lorelei had run things for a few years along with the Shogun's surviving advisors. Finally, 10 years ago, a new Shogun clone was created. But he was still young, unable to govern. He was also kept far away from the public eye and the castle.

The thing that Lime had noticed was there seemed to be more guard activity. Baiko and Tamasaburo were even out and about, patrolling the Castle grounds. Lime wasn't the only one that noticed the increased activity.

"What do you think is going on?" asked Cherry softly.

"I don't know." Lime said.

They were met at the castle doors by the Saber Dolls and Yui.

"Yui will take you to the meeting room." Tiger said. She then looked at the marionette. "Come on Lime. We didn't have much time to talk before."

"K." The four marionettes wondered off. Yui turned and led everyone inside. Keima, who had felt something familiar coming from inside the castle, quickened his pace to walk next to Yui.

"What's going on Yui?" he asked.

"Something's happened." Yui said, "It could affect Terra 2 and the Heavens."

That's when Keima placed the feeling he had about the castle.

"Do you mean that my….."

"Yes." Yui said.

She led them into a corridor that ended at a door. Standing on either side of the door were six armored woman.

"Who are……" Lime began to ask before Keima interrupted her.

"They're Valkyries." He said, "They guard Yggdrasil and the heavens."

"Why are they here?"

"They also protect important individuals." Keima said.

"So who is here?"

Keima remained silent as they reached the door. Yui turned towards one of the Valkyries.

"I am Guardian Yui." She said, "I have brought the God Keima, the Angel Arael, and the 3 mortals Lime, Cherry, and Bloodberry as ordered."

The Valkyrie nodded. "You are expected." She then reached over and opened the door.

Entering the room, Lime could see the large meeting table where her father, mother, and Uncle Faust sat. Also sitting there was a woman with long light brown hair with another woman standing behind her with purple hair. Lime then realized where she had seen the first woman before. This was confirmed when the woman stood up and ran to hug Keima. Both talked briefly in a language that Lime couldn't understand before Keima turned to Lime.

"Lime, this is my mother, Belldandy."

Lime didn't know wither to bow, fall to her knees or what.

"Ummm Hi."

Belldandy gave her a smile which relaxed her immediately.

"I'm sure we'll get better acquainted later. But first, we have other matters to attend to." Belldandy turned and walked back to her seat. The six new arrivals quickly sat down at the table. Lime made sure she was next to Keima. As they got comfortable, Lime whispered into Keima's ear.

"Is your mother why the Valkyries are here?"

"Yes."

Lime indicated the purple haired woman.

"Who's that?"

"Cayla, Mom's assistant, secretary, whatever. She's been with Mom for years."

Faust stood up. "Now that we are all here, I will tell you why we are here." He motioned to the display on the wall. "New Texas has created a shielding system designed to protect the city-state from meteors, weapons, and anything else libel to cause damage to the city."

"What's wrong with that?" asked Bloodberry, "Sounds like a great idea."

"Normally I would agree." Faust said, "But here is where we come to the problem. They plan to use S2 Engines."

Lime heard Arael gasp. She looked over to see that the Angel had a shocked look on her face. Keima, Cherry, and Bloodberry looked as confused as her. Yui, Belldandy, Cayla, and her parents however had very serious looks on their faces.

"How can they?" Arael asked, "How can they create….."

Faust held up his hand. "They know what the S2 Engine came from. But in their minds, it is the perfect solution."

"Until it blows up and takes out half the city." muttered Yui.

"What is an S2 Engine?" asked Keima.

"It is that which provides me with my power." Arael said softly, "The heart of the Angels."

"They also powered several of the Evas." Yui said, "And when they get destroyed."

"Boom." finished Cayla.

"Which is why I am here." Belldandy said, "If an S2 Engine is successfully made, and Eva might be next."

Yui glanced over at Belldandy, "If they do make an Eva will we send down…….."

"If it comes to that, yes."

"Which brings us to what will happen in four days." Faust said, "I have been invited to attend the activation test. I am also allowed to bring guests. Of course the Saber Dolls will be present. I have also asked Lorelei and Otaru to attend."

"Lime will be joining us." Lorelei said.

"I am?" Lime asked.

"Umm, the other Lime."

"Oh."

Belldandy looked over at Yui, Arael, and Keima.

"If I could, I would send down Asuka, Shinji, Rei, of Touji. But all four are off on an assignment. Which leaves me with you three. Yui, because you are a Guardian, Arael, for the obvious reason, and Keima, because you might sense something the others don't."

Lorelei looked over at Lime, Cherry, and Bloodberry.

"You three can come as well."

"Of course I'm coming." Lime said, "If Keima's going, I'm going too."

"As much as I'd like to," Cherry said, "someone needs to run the restaurant."

"I'll help Cherry." Bloodberry said.

"Very well." Faust said, "We'll met again in 2 days. Then we leave for the testing site."

Everyone got up and was starting to leave the room, all of them but one.

"Keima," Belldandy said, "I'd like a word with you."

Lime glanced back at Keima. Keima nodded and Lime left the room. Soon, only he and his mother remained.

"You and Lime have gotten close in the past couple of months." Belldandy said softly. "I'm glad."

Keima looked at his mother curiously.

"In some ways you remind me of your father and me when we first got together." Belldandy smiled, "Only your not as naïve as I was."

"Sayoko was here two weeks ago." He said.

"I know. She told me about bring Celes here, as well as Lime's return." Belldandy stood up. "It's about time for me to go. Your father will be wondering." Belldandy pulled her son into a hug. "My little boy…….."

"Mom……" Keima muttered, "I'm not a kid."

"To me you always will be." Belldandy released her hug and looked at her son. "You have to call more."

"Mom! You never gave Sayoko a hard time!"

"But she remembers to call." Belldandy glanced at the door. "I'm sure if I ask her, Lime will help you remember."

"Alright Mom!" Keima glared at Belldandy, but there was no malice behind it. "You've been hanging around Auntie Urd too much. You're starting to act like her."

"Well she is my sister."

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Four Days Later

A large group of diplomats, scientists and guests from all six city-states were assembled in a party-like atmosphere. Far off in the distance, the red sphere of the S2 Engine could be seen. Yui and Arael walked silently among the people. Both were wearing their cloaks with the hood pulled over their heads.

* Explain why we are wearing the cloaks again? * Arael asked.

Yui glanced over at Arael. * Because we look older then what the females on this planet should be. This way, people will think we're marionettes. * Yui looked up ahead. * There they are. *

Arael and Yui walked up silently behind the group. Keima noticed them right away. He looked at them from head to toe.

"Aren't you a little warm in that?" he asked. Keima was wearing a short sleeve shirt and khaki pants. Yui glared at Keima.

"What are you stupid?" she asked, "These are our god cloaks! I'm probably a lot cooler then you are."

"Good point." Keima said. "The test is going to be in a couple of hours. See anything out of the ordinary?"

"Nothing." Yui said, "No sign of any demons either."

"Think it will work?"

"I talked to my mom last night." Yui said, "Until Doctor Akagi got her hands on it, Unit 04's S2 didn't work. Only after that did SEELE get their Mass Produced Evas to work."

Keima looked over at Arael. "You've been very quiet. What do you think?"

Arael looked out towards the distant sphere.

"They are dealing with things beyond their comprehension." Arael said, "No good will come of this."

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"Ladies and Gentleman!" Doctor Chris Richardson stepped to the podium. "Welcome to this historic day! After today, we will no longer have to fear things that might drop on us in the night, be it natural or unnatural!" Everyone present chuckled. "This project has been generously supported by the people of New Texas, and will eventually be available for all of Terra 2 to share." People all over clapped. Faust scowled. Richardson took notice. "We have many people present here today. From Gartlant to Japoness. Even the famous Doctor Lorelei is here!" Lorelei blushed slightly from the attention.

Richardson stepped down from the podium, carrying the microphone towards the giant switch.

"And now……I give you the fruits of our labor: The S2 Engine." His hand came down on the switch, activating the engine. Off in the distance, the sphere began to noticeable glow red. People began to clap and cheer. Richardson shook hands with many well-wishers as he slowly approached where Faust, Lorelei, and Otaru were standing.

"As you can see," Richardson said with a smile, "It's perfectly safe."

Faust was about to respond when there was a flash of light. People began to ooo and ahhhh as the giant sphere began to send off lightning.

"That's pretty." Lime (the marionette) said clapping her hands.

Keima had the sudden urge to pull Lime (the mortal) closer to himself. Arael was muttering something behind him, but with all the people cheering, he couldn't understand what she was saying. Then the ground shook. Everyone quieted down quickly as they tried to balance themselves, some unsuccessfully. More lightning flashed off from the sphere. Now people were beginning to worry.

"Everyone! Remain calm!" Richardson shouted, "It's just reacting to the plasma……."

'LIE!' Keima's mind screamed.

"………..It's just reacting to the plasma." He turned quickly to an aide. "Shut it down." He hissed. "Shut it down now!"

"We can't!" the aide replied, "It's out of control!"

The ground rumbled again, knocking everyone to the ground, all but one. Arael still stood, staring towards the sphere, muttering towards the distant sphere.

"Arael!" Keima shouted. The Angel ignored him. Keeping an arm around Lime, he grabbed Arael's cloak and pulled her down to his face. "What's the matter with you!?"

Arael looked down at Keima, her red eyes seemed glazed over.

"It's calling to me…….." she muttered, "I hear it calling out to me……" She turned and looked back towards the sphere.

"What is it saying to you?" Lime asked from under Keima.

"Good bye……"

The ground shuddered again. Keima looked back at the sphere to see a white light beginning to form. Then there was a blinding flash, followed seconds later by a shock wave that thundered across the ground, knocking everything flat. Keima remained over Lime, trying to protect her from…..well……from whatever. He felt two more people pressing against his back. He looked up to see Yui and Arael on either side of him, using their cloaks to cover both Lime and himself.

"I guess those cloaks came in handy." Keima said.

Yui gave Keima a small smile and stood up. Arael stood up right away. Keima leaned in close to Lime.

"You alright?" he asked.

Lime nodded. Keima then stood up and looked around. People were laying on the ground everywhere, knocked down by either the ground quakes or by the shockwave. Lime (the Marionette) was protecting Otaru, who was in turn protecting Lorelei. Faust was being protected by the three Saber Dolls. All four marionettes seemed to have blank looks on their faces, as if shut off. Seeing everyone in his general vicinity was unharmed, Keima looked toward the spot where the sphere had stood. A large amount of dust blocked the view, but slowly cleared to reveal…………..

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The Heavens

Alarms still screamed all over the main building. Peorth and Urd sat calmly at the SysOp terminal, listening as the various operators reported in. The doors to the control room then opened, admitting Belldandy into the room, followed closely by Cayla.

"What happened?" Belldandy asked

"We detected the S2 Engine powering up." Peorth said, still staring at her screen. "Everything looked normal for about 30 seconds, then all hell broke loose."

"There was a runaway reaction." Urd said, "As a precaution, Sayoko went to Unit 04 and began the start up procedures. The Guardians have been recalled and also on their way back."

Belldandy nodded. "Have we heard anything from the surface?"

"Not yet."

"Ma'am!"

Urd looked down at Chronos. "What is it?"

"I found the site of the S2 Engine……but……"

"But what?"

Chronos hit several buttons on her terminal. The main screen lit up to reveal a large area of the uninhabited region of Terra 2. A circular shock wave was still rolling across the desert. In the middle, was a dark object.

"Is that the S2 Engine?" asked Belldandy.

"I thought so too, but when I zoomed in……….."

The screen zoomed in, revealing a large castle sitting on a large circular patch of mountain.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Where the hell did that come from?" Doctor Richardson shouted again, "That wasn't supposed to happen!"

"I don't know sir." The aide replied.

"Well find out!"

"He's becoming very annoying." Yui muttered.

"You have no idea." Faust said. He then looked at Lorelei. "Anything?"

Lorelei looked up from where she working on the four marionettes.

"Nothing yet." Lorelei looked back down at Lime (the marionette). "There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with them."

"Do they have a reset?"

Lorelei looked over at Arael who had one of the god's communicators out and was working on it.

"What?" Lorelei asked.

Arael looked over at Lorelei. "On occasion, when my brothers exploded, there was a resultant EMP that disrupted electronics." Arael looked back down at the communications device. "I learned of it when I was……..reawakened." She then hit a button on the communicator. Lights flashed on it, then went off. A second later they went off again, this time with a beep.

Lorelei turned her attention back to Lime (the marionette). She lifted open one of the shoulder hatches and flipped a switch next to the steam relief valve. After waiting several seconds she flipped the switch back, then sat back and waited. Lime's eyes flashed for several seconds before taking in their normal green color. She then blinked and looked at Lorelei.

"What happened? Is Otaru alright? What did….?"

"Otaru's fine." Lorelei said, "Now can you help me reset the Saber Dolls?"

"Sure!"

Within minutes, all three Saber Dolls were up and about. Faust then pointed towards the castle that now set in the location the S2 Engine had occupied before the test.

"Luchs what do you make of that?"

Luchs stared at the castle, her eyes flashing as she scanned it.

"It appears to be a renovated 18th century Germanic Castle."

"German?" Faust muttered, "Renovated how?"

"It appears to have a complex satellite communication system mounted on the roof. Early to mid 21st century."

Faust was now very curious. "How does a German castle get here from earth though?"

"I don't have enough data for that." Luchs said.

"We'll find out soon enough." Faust turned to see Doctor Richardson behind him. "I'm sending a squad of New Texas Sabers in on a fact finding mission."

"Armed?" asked Faust.

"Of course." Richardson said with a smile, "You can never be too careful."

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The squad of six Saber Marionettes approached the castle. They step over the dividing line from the sand of the desert, onto the green grass that the castle sat upon. They ran up hill until they reach a asphalt road that led to the main gate. Pushing on the massive gate, the Sabers found it to be locked. One of the Sabers pulled out an energy blade and sliced through the lock bolt. The doors were then pushed open.

The Sabers entered a small courtyard area. One moved over to the small shack that sat next to the gate. A quick look inside revealed two corpses, both with their throats cut. The Sabers then approached the front door to the main building. One reached forward and found the front door open.

They entered a large dark foyer. The Sabers slowly looked around the room. One spotted movement, but could not track. The Saber began adjusting it's eye sight for darkness. Another bit of movement. The Saber turned again, this time it spotted a figure holding a weapon pointed at it. The Saber started to raise it's own when all along the upper balcony guns opened fire.  Bullet after bullet found it's mark, shredding the Sabers. All six collapsed to the ground. Only one remained functioning as a figure in black approached it.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Everyone watched the out of focus view as the figure walked up to the Saber, pulled out a pistol and fired a shot. The screen then went to static.

"That was…….interesting." Faust said.

"Did you see the outfit those two dead men were wearing?" asked Lorelei, "They looked 21st century."

"They were." Yui spoke up. "Mom and Dad still have some from back then."

"What" began Richardson, "are you talking about?"

Faust moved in front of Yui before she could say anything.

"What do you intend to do?"

"Do?" asked Richardson, "They are obviously hostile. I'm going to call in more Sabers to deal with them." He started to leave when Faust placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Would you mind if we tried to deal with them?"

Richardson started to raise his hand and open his mouth to complain. Then he stopped.

"Fine." He said, "You see what you can do." He then turned and left. Faust waited till he had been gone for a bit before turning to the others.

"Opinions?"

"They were using old 21st century weapons." Luchs said.

"Everything we've seen so far places the castle at the 21st century." Otaru said.

Lorelei frowned. She then began to type on the console.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm checking the Japoness and Gartlant Databases." She glanced back at Otaru. "Remember, they both contain information brought with from Earth on the Mesopotamia." She looked back at the screen. "I'm checking to see if castles disappeared."

"While your looking." Faust turned to the Saber Dolls. "I would like to try and walk out their and talk to them."

Tiger frowned. "No your not. It's too dangerous. If anything we should go. We're machines easier to fix then you."

Faust shook his head. "No. You saw what they did to those Sabers. I will not let you go. Besides, your more then just machines to me."

The three Saber Dolls blushed slightly.

"Then who's going to……"

"We'll go."

Everyone turned towards Keima. Lime looked at Keima curiously.

"What do you mean 'we'll go'?" asked Lorelei, "I'm not letting Lime go over there, either Lime."

"Sorry," Keima said, "I meant Arael, Yui, and myself."

"Us?" Yui and Arael said together.

"Why you?" asked Faust.

Keima smiled. A blue shield appeared between him and Faust, surprising everyone present.

"As you can see, we're a bit more bullet proof then any of you." Keima said.

Otaru looked over at Faust. "He has a point."

Faust nodded, "Alright. You talk to them."

Keima nodded and headed out, followed by Arael and Yui. Lime (the mortal) looked around at the others before racing out after them.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"KEIMA!"

Keima stopped and turned around to see Lime running after him.

"Talk to her." Yui said, "But then you'd better catch up to us."

Keima nodded and waited for Lime to reach him. Lime wrapped her arms around him as she tried to catch her breath.

"Why are you doing this?" she finally said.

"Because I'm one of the only ones who can." He said softly, "And I have an odd feeling on this."

Lime held Keima tightly to her. "Come back safely."

"I will."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Got three people approaching."

The Squad Leader looked up at the Director, then clicked on his headset.

"Say that again."

"We have three, repeat three individuals approaching from the complex in the distance. Looks like one male……..and a couple of Jedi Knights."

Both men frowned at each other.

"A couple of what?" asked the squad leader.

"Jedi Knights. You know, with big cloaks pulled over their heads and stuff."

"That has to be the strangest thing I've heard yet today." muttered the Director.

"Mitchell is a big fan of classic movies." replied the squad leader, "She forces us to watch some every now and then."

"Hmmph." replied the Director, "What's next? Someone with sunglasses in black PVS saying the 'Matrix has us'?"

"So you like the classics too?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So what are we going to say to them?" asked Yui.

The three were walking up the hill towards the gate.

"Don't know." Keima said, "I'm working on it." He then looked over at Arael who was still fiddling with the communicator. "Don't you have that working yet?"

"The memory was wiped when I reset it." Arael said, "It's currently trying to update itself with Yggdrasil."

The three entered the courtyard and were soon in front of the main door.

"Well?" Yui said.

"Well what?" asked Keima.

"You wanted to come out here. You go first."

"What?!" Keima turned and stared at Yui, "You're the Guardian. You're supposed to protect the Gods."

"Well you're male. You're suppose to protect the women."

Keima looked over at Arael.

"Don't look at me. I'm staying out of this one."

Keima sighed.

"Fine." He then turned, pushed the door open and entered.

The light from the doorway shined into the foyer, showing the remains of the Sabers. Keima took several more steps in, followed by Yui and Arael. Both removed their hoods and looked around.

"Do you see anything?" asked Yui.

"No." Keima replied, "But they're here."

Yui looked up. She could just make out the balcony. Everything there was shrouded in blackness. Keima was now standing in the middle of the room. Yui and Arael continued walking until they were beside him.

"I don't like this." muttered Yui.

The doors behind them slammed shut, sending them into complete darkness.

"How do you like it now?" came a voice.

"I hate this worse." muttered Yui.

"Who are you?" asked Keima.

"We'll be asking the questions here." replied the voice.

A bright light was shined on them. The three immortals blinked several times to adjust to the light. A shadow moved across the light and slowly approached. Keima found himself looking at a middle aged man wearing glasses in black fatigues. The man looked closely at Keima's forehead.

"You are a God." The man said.

Keima blinked. "How did you know?"

"You have the markings." The man replied. He then looked over at Yui. Keima felt the man's surprise. "Asuka?"

Yui frowned. "I'm not Asuka! I'm Yui! Asuka's my mother!"

"I see." The man seemed even more surprised. He then looked at Arael. "You look like your related to Rei Ayanami. You her daughter?"

"In a way." Arael replied. After all, Lilith was the Mother.

"You know Asuka and Rei?" asked Keima.

"In a way." The man replied, "Now I don't suppose you can tell me what these are?" He kicked one of the Sabers.

"Marionettes." replied Keima, "In this case military models."

"Since when does anyone use robots for the military?" asked the man, "The UN would have heard about it."

"There is no UN on Terra 2."

The man looked shocked. "Where?"

"Terra 2." Keima said, "You're not on earth anymore."

The man remained silent, absorbing that information.

"What's with all the old weapons?" asked Yui.

"Old weapons?!" the man said stunned, "These are top of the line weaponry!"

"They are five hundred year old antiques."

"Five hundred………" Shock was just rolling off the man. "But it's 2037!"

"A bit closer to 2547 now." Yui said.

The man turned around and paced a moment, muttering to himself. He then turned and looked at Keima.

"I want you to contact a Goddess for me." He said.

"Ok. Who?"

"Belldandy." replied the man, "She was on the Heavenly Council last I knew."

Keima nodded, "She still is."

"Good. I want to speak with her. Here."

"We'll see what we can do."

The man nodded. "You can leave now. We need to discuss this amongst our selves."

Keima nodded and turned towards the door. Yui followed with Arael taking up the rear. As Arael was walking through the door, she heard someone walk up to the man they had been talking to. She caught a few words before the doors closed.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Faust, Otaru, Lorelei, Lime, and the four marionettes were waiting for them when they returned.

"Well?" Faust asked.

"I need to get in touch with Mom." Keima said, "Arael?"

Arael had been fiddling with the communicator all the way back from the castle.

"I think I have it." She said. She set the device on a table. The air over the device sparkled for a second before three holograms appeared: Belldandy, Sayoko, and Asuka.

"Keima!" Belldandy practically shouted, "What's been happening? Why didn't you call sooner! What's wrong? Why aren't you saying anything?!"

"Calm down and let him speak Mom." Sayoko muttered.

Belldandy closed her eyes and visible took several deep breaths. Keima gave a small smile and then began to speak.

"Within seconds of the S2 Engine activating," Keima began, "It…….well……...failed."

"We know." Asuka said, "That's why Sayoko and I are here. We thought it might have been an Angel event. No offense Arael. (None taken was Arael's reply) What is the building?"

"It's a German castle." Yui said, "It has equipment dating from around 2037."

Belldandy and Asuka blinked at the date. Sayoko was still watching and listening without any reaction.

"There's more." Keima said, "There were 12 men and a woman in there in military outfits. They gunned down six Saber Marionettes with no losses."

"13 people?" Belldandy said. She and Asuka looked at each other.

Keima looked at his mother curiously. "Do you know something about this Mom?"

"It………sounds familiar." Belldandy said, casting a quick glance at Sayoko. "Did you speak to them?"

"We talked to a man who apparently knew you and Aunt Asuka." Keima said, "He claimed they were from the year 2037. And he wants to meet with you."

"With me?"

"With you."

"Well she can't just walk into there." Sayoko said, "We don't know what their intentions are."

"There's more." Arael stepped forward, "As we were leaving, one of the other men stepped up to the one we were talking to." Arael looked directly at Sayoko. "He called him 'Director Aida'."


	9. Chapter 8

_There's so much life_
    
    _I've left to live_
    
    _And this fire's burning still_
    
    _When I watch you look at me_
    
    _I think I could find a way_
    
    _To stand for every dream_
    
    _And forsake this solid ground_
    
    _And give up this fear within_
    
    _Of what would happen if they end, you_
    
    _I'm in love with you_
    
    _'Cause I'd surrender everything_
    
    _To feel the chance, to live again_
    
    _I reach to you_
    
    _I know you can feel it too_
    
    _We'd make it through_
    
    _A thousand dreams I still believe_
    
    _I'd make you give them all to me_
    
    _I'd hold you in my arms and never let go_
    
    _I surrender_
    
    _I know_
    
    _I can't survive another night away from you_
    
    _You're the reason I go on_
    
    _And now I need to live the truth_
    
    _Right now, there's no better time_
    
    _From this fear, I will break free_
    
    _And I'll live again with love_
    
    _And know they can't take that away from me_
    
    _And they will see... yeah_
    
    _(I'd surrender everything)_
    
    _To feel the chance, to live again_
    
    _I reach to you_
    
    _I know you can feel it too_
    
    _We'd make it through_
    
    _A thousand dreams I still believe_
    
    _I'll make you give them all to me_
    
    _I'll hold you in my arms and never let go_
    
    _I surrender_
    
    _Every night gets longer_
    
    _And this voice's getting stronger baby_
    
    _I'll swallow my pride_
    
    _And I'll be alive_
    
    _Can't you hear my call?_
    
    _I surrender all..._
    
    _(I'll surrender everything)_
    
    _(To feel the chance, to live again)_
    
    _I reach to you_
    
    _I know you can feel it too_
    
    _We'll make it through_
    
    _A thousand dreams I still believe_
    
    _I'll make you give them all to me_
    
    _I'll hold you in my arms and never let go_
    
    _I surrender_
    
    _Right here, right now_
    
    _I'd give my life to live again_
    
    _I'll break free_
    
    _Take me, my everything_
    
    _I surrender all to you_
    
    _(Right now)_
    
    _Right now_
    
    _(I'd give my life to live again)_
    
    _I'd give my life_
    
    _(I'll break free, Take me)_
    
    _Take me, take me_
    
    _(my everything)_
    
    _My everything_
    
    _(I surrender all to you, right now)_
    
    _Right now_
    
    _(I'd give my life to live again)_
    
    _I'd give my life to you baby_
    
    _I'll break free, yeah free_
    
    _I Surrender – Celine Dion___

Chapter 8

Sayoko blinked. She looked at her mother and Asuka, then back at Arael.

"Are you….."

"I speak the truth." Arael said softly.

"Who is Director Aida?" asked Lorelei.

"Name sounds familiar." muttered Yui.

Sayoko looked at her mother.

"I'll go." She said.

"But………." Began her mother before she was cut off.

"I look exactly like you." Sayoko said, "I sound like you. If it isn't him…….."

"You'd be placing yourself in danger." Asuka said, "I'm coming with."

"Who is Aida?!" asked Lorelei again.

Sayoko glanced at Lorelei before looking at her brother.

"We'll be down in a bit."

Belldandy turned towards her daughter. "Now wait just a sec……." Then the transmission ended.

"Who is Aida?"

"I don't know." Keima turned and looked at Lorelei. "I've never heard of him."

"I think I have." Yui appeared deep in thought. "I think Mom and Dad knew him. But they told me to never speak about him around Sayoko."

"Why didn't they ever….." began Keima. He suddenly looked around, then pushed Lorelei and Otaru back several steps.

"What…." began Otaru when a flash and loud bang interrupted him. Now standing in the room was Sayoko and Asuka, both in the hooded cloaks.

"Nice entrance." muttered Tiger.

Sayoko ignored the comment and looked right at Keima.

"Where is it?"

Keima pointed. "The castle is that way."

Sayoko immediately turned and walked out.

"Who is Aida?" asked Lorelei.

Asuka looked at Lorelei and noticed that Yui, Keima, and everyone else had the same question.

"He's an old friend." Asuka said, "And a very personal friend of Sayoko."

"How come she's never talked about him?" asked Keima.

"They were close." Asuka said, "Very close. Closer then what you and Lime currently are."

"How much closer could they………" began Keima, before Lime (the mortal) whispered something in his ear. Keima's eyes widened slightly. "Oh!"

"Exactly." Asuka replied, "Now I have to catch up to her."

Asuka turned and left.

"Hey wait up!"

Yui, Arael and Keima quickly followed. Lime looked at her parents a second, then followed.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"You shouldn't be coming with." Keima said softly, "It may not be safe."

Lime shook her head. "You're not leaving me behind. Besides, if I'm not safe with you, I'm not safe anywhere."

Keima knew he would lose regardless what he said.

"Just stay near me." He said, "If anything happens I'll teleport us out."

"If it really is him, we won't have to worry." Asuka said softly.

Sayoko was still quite a bit ahead of them. Arael quickened her pace until she was right next to the goddess.

"Are you alright?"

"I don't know." Sayoko replied, "Ask me again later."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"They're coming back. And there's two more Jedi Knights and a dark blue haired girl with them."

The Director and the Squad leader held their heads.

"That girl has got to lay off the classics." muttered the Squad Leader.

"Indeed." replied the Director. He then clicked his headset. "Mitchell. Move back here and assemble the others on the foyer balcony like last time."

"Yes sir."

"Oh and Mitchell."

"Sir?"

"'May the Force be with you.'"

The squad leader stared at the Director with a shocked look.

"What?" asked the Director.

"You scare me sometimes sir."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Several minutes later, the Director was sitting on the stairs in the foyer. Above him, the Squad Leader was readying the powerful halogen spotlight. The main doors to the foyer opened, allowing light to stream in. The commandos lifted their weapons and took aim as dark figures moved in, six in total. Two of the four in the hooded cloaks removed the hoods to reveal the red head and gray hair woman who had been here before. The God was back as well, along with a dark blue haired girl he did not recognize. He spotted the two new ones, they still wore their hoods. As soon as they had moved far enough in, the director signaled. Two commandos slammed the doors shut, plunging the room into darkness. The squad leader flipped on the halogen light, temporarily blinding their 'guests'.

"Welcome back." The Director said, "I trust you had a pleasant trip?"

"Oh yeah sure." mumbled one of the hooded figures, "Walking in the dusty desert is always fun."

The Director frowned. That voice sounded very familiar. Worry about that later.

"Which of you is Belldandy?"

One of the hooded figures stepped forward.

"I'm sorry to have to bring you here Mrs. Morisato." The Director said, "But I……"

"Kensuke?"

The Director froze. 'That voice……….'

The figure removed her hood. The Director's heart almost stopped.

'It can't be…….'

"Kensuke is that you?"

Director Kensuke Aida moved closer to the woman.

"It can't be you." He said softly, "You………you had no memory."

"I got it back." She replied, stepping closer. "The………the day you disappeared."

"It can't be…….." repeated Kensuke. "It…….."

"It is me." She whispered, placing her hands gently on either side of Kensuke's face. He reached up and touched her face, afraid if he did she would vanish.

"Sayoko?" he asked.

She nodded with a small smile.

"Sayoko!" he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tightly to him. Sayoko's arms went around Kensuke, tears falling from her eyes. Her knees went weak as she cried. Kensuke slowly fell to his knees with her. Behind them the other cloaked figure began to gag.

"Please. If you two get anymore sweeter, a diabetic is going to go into sugar shock. Get a room!"

Now Kensuke could place the voice. "If you don't like it demon you can wait outside."

Asuka just smiled, "Like I'd leave you alone with her. You might do hentai things to her in her fragile state."

"Mom??" asked Yui, "Who is he?"

"The last of the three stooges." Asuka replied, "A friend of your father's and your Uncle Touji." Asuka glanced over at Keima. "He's also someone that her brother should keep an eye on."

Keima frowned slightly, but didn't comment. He continued to watch as his sister cried and held on tightly to Kensuke.

Asuka sighed then looked around at the other commandos who were now making their way down from the balcony.

"Looks like we have to have a talk with Lorelei, Faust, and Belldandy about what to do with you all."

Asuka herded everyone out of the building. Another glance over her shoulder showed the two lovers still on their knees and in each others arms.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    _I was forgotten_
    
    _Until you called my name_
    
    _Lost in the shadows_
    
    _Until you shined your light my way_
    
    _Now I believe again_
    
    _In all my dreams again_
    
    _I'm wide eyed and innocent_
    
    _Those doubting days_
    
    _Are so far away and oh_
    
    _ I will fall_
    
    _And you will catch me always_
    
    _Time has taught me this_
    
    _I will fly_
    
    _And you'll be there to guide me_
    
    _Straight up to my heart's highest wish_
    
    _I feel you close to me_
    
    _And I know what love is_
    
    _ Now there's no mountain_
    
    _Too high for me to climb_
    
    _No ocean so wide_
    
    _That I could not reach the other side_
    
    _Now I believe in me_
    
    _Cause you live and breather in me_
    
    _And nothing can come between_
    
    _We are one star_
    
    _No nigh can darken, Oh_
    
    _ I will fall_
    
    _And you will catch me always_
    
    _Time has taught me this_
    
    _I will fly_
    
    _And you'll be there to guide me_
    
    _Straight up to my heart's highest wish_
    
    _I feel you close to me_
    
    _And I know what love is_
    
    _ It's an unspoken thing_
    
    _A quiet opening_
    
    _There are no words that can go that deep_
    
    _But I know_
    
    _I know_
    
    _I will fall_
    
    _And you will catch me always_
    
    _Time has taught me this_
    
    _I will fly_
    
    _And you'll be there to guide me_
    
    _Straight up to my heart's highest wish_
    
    _I feel you close to me_
    
    _And I know what love is_
    
    _Celine Dion – I know what love is_

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Two days later

Keima, Lime, Cherry, Bloodberry, Yui, and Arael were all sitting in the restaurant. It had closed several hours before in order to celebrate the return of Lime and Keima. They had then spent the evening talking about what had happened.

"So what's going to happen to those people?" asked Cherry.

"Well," Keima began, "Initially, they are going back to Earth. Then they can either decide to remain there, or they'll be brought here."

"What about your sister's boyfriend," asked Bloodberry, "Kensake?"

"Kensuke. He and Sayoko are going to spend time together on Earth. Afterwards……." Keima tossed his hands up in the air. "I don't know."

"I do." Arael said, "Sayoko wants to live in a nice house near the lake on the far side of Japoness."

"That's near Mom and Dad." Lime said.

Keima nodded. "She likes being near the forest. She'd find it more peaceful then the cities that dominate Earth now."

Bloodberry smiled, "Ever wonder if she's there because she wants to keep an eye on you?"

"More likely she'll be too busy riding Kensuke to pay attention to what he does." Yui said with a smirk.

Cherry eyes went wide. "They'll be living together?! That's indecent!"

"Indecent can be fun though." Bloodberry said with a smile.

"Bloodberry!"

"Oh come on Cherry," Bloodberry said with a smile, "Let's say you had someone like……..Keima for example."

Keima frowned slightly while Lime had her attention locked onto Bloodberry.

"…….Would you want to spend every night, alone…….when you could be sharing warmth together."

Cherry turned bright red. "I….no….see….."

"But wait, there's more."

Cherry gulped. "More?"

"More?" Keima and Lime said together.

Bloodberry leaned closer to Cherry. "He'll hold you in his strong arms and……." She whispered something into Cherry's ear. Cherry's face turned redder and redder. Lime and Keima leaned over and tried to listen to what Bloodberry was saying. Yui smirked at Cherry.

"Look out she's gonna blow!"

Arael frowned. "I was not aware extreme embarrassment caused mortals to explode."

"It doesn't."

"Oh……my….." Cherry finally muttered. She then stood up. "I'm……..going to bed."

"Right. You're going to stay up late thinking about being with a guy like Keima." Bloodberry smirked. "Got enough batteries?"

"Why would she need…?" Yui covered up Arael's mouth with her hand.

"I'll tell you later."

Keima watched Cherry disappear upstairs, then looked at Lime.

"We are making breakfast tomorrow." He said in no uncertain terms.

"Agreed." replied Lime.

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One hour later

Everyone had turned in for the night. Lime was just going to sleep when she heard a noise, a strange buzzing sound. Her eyes widened slightly before she pulled the pillow over her head.

"I'm not hearing that." She muttered.

In another room, Arael was looking at Yui curiously.

"What is….."

"Just go to sleep!" Yui replied, "I'll tell you tomorrow!"

In yet another room, Keima had pulled out earmuffs from somewhere and was sleeping peacefully.

In Cherry's room, Cherry was laying on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Her eyes got wider as the buzzing continued.

In the next and final room, Bloodberry turned off her leg shaver and waited several moments.

"God I love messing with their minds." She said. She waited for five minutes, then turned the shaver back on."


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

One month later.

"HE'S WHAT?!?!"

"Geez Asuka you don't need to shout."

Asuka glared at Sayoko. Sayoko ignored the glare and continued to pack various items from her room at her parent's house in boxes and in her suitcase.

"He's become the Head of Security for the Shogun in Japoness, thanks to Lorelei."

"I thought he was going to stay on Earth?" asked Asuka.

"He was thinking about it." Sayoko replied, "But after seeing Earth." She shook her head. "He said it was like living in the movie 'Blade Runner'."

Asuka looked at the assembled piles of boxes. "So you're going with him, back to Terra 2."

Sayoko nodded. "Yes."

"You know what Hikari would say?" Asuka asked with a smile.

Sayoko stopped for a moment.

"She'd say 'OH MY GOD! YOU'RE LIVING IN SIN!'" She then went back to packing.

"She's right."

"I already told you, I'm not that kind of Goddess. Besides, in a couple of weeks, we'll be married."

"What does your mother say?"

Sayoko stopped packing.

"She said to follow my heart." She looked at Asuka. "And it's with Kensuke on Terra 2."

Asuka smiled, then grabbed Sayoko in a hug.

"Even if it's with that stooge, I'm happy for you."

Sayoko returned the hug.

"Thank you."

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"You and the goddess. Who would've thought it." muttered Touji, "Almost like Shinji ending up with the demon."

Shinji glared at Touji, then turned to Kensuke.

"So," Shinji asked, "What are your plans?"

The two guardians and their friend were in a bar in Japoness.

"Sayoko and I are going to live here." He said, "In fact, she's up in heaven packing her stuff."

"All of it?" Shinji asked.

Kensuke frowned. "What do you mean all of it?"

"Ken, she's a girl……."

"I think I figured that part out by now."

Shinji shook his head. "No you don't understand. It's been five hundred years since you last saw her."

"I'm aware of that."

Touji spoke up. "What Shinji is trying to say, is that Sayoko has had five hundred years to do a girls favorite pastime."

Kensuke frowned. "What?"

"Touji, Kensuke hasn't been dating long enough to know." Shinji said.

"Sorry, I forgot." Touji looked at Kensuke. "Woman love to shop Ken."

"What's that have to do with Sayoko?" Kensuke asked.

"Ken," Shinji said, "She's never dated anyone else. She's been waiting for you. As a result, she had a lot of free time."

"So she went shopping?" Touji and Shinji nodded at him. "How much stuff could a girl buy?"

"She's just not any girl Ken, she's a goddess. And she's had 500 years."

Kensuke thought about that for a second, then looked back at his two friends. "I'm in trouble aren't I?"

"Big trouble."

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Earth

Neo-Tokyo

One day later.

It was raining.

Hard.

Celes pulled her jacket tighter to her body, trying to keep the rain out and the warmth in. Not that she'd catch a cold or anything. It was more from the point of comfort.

She hated the cold.

She also hated being alone, but that couldn't be helped. After five hundred years, she'd given up on making friends with mortals.

Well that wasn't entirely true. She'd met every Suzuhara since Touji on down. All of them had considered her family.

Then there was her unusual relationship with the Goddess. She'd lived with Sayoko in Lake Kizaki for almost 60 years. Since then, she and the Goddess had kept in constant touch. Sayoko would also come and spend two weeks with her at her apartment in Neo-Tokyo, always right around Christmas, when her lover had disappeared. She'd heard from Sayoko three weeks before. Somehow, her lover had returned. Celes was happy for her friend. His loss had weighed heavily on the Goddess for a long time.

Celes had reached a street corner and was waiting for the light to change when she felt as if someone was watching her. She turned and slowly looked to her right. Her blood froze. There standing on next to her was a Priest. But not just any Priest, it was Father Alexander Anderson, Member of Division 13 of the Vatican Special Forces, the Iscariot Order.

Celes looked around. There were too many people for her to open fire. She couldn't run either, the sidewalk was too packed with people.

"Hello Abomination." He said.

The voice sent chills down her spine.

"What do you want?" she asked, though she knew the answer.

"To send you to hell where you belong." He replied, "I've spent almost 550 years searching for you and your demonic master." He glared at her. "I may not have found him, but I have found you."

"This is a public place." She said, "You can't do anything here."

"Perhaps." Anderson said, "But know this. You can't hide amongst these……heathens forever. At some point, you will be alone, and my blade will get more then your neck this time."

Celes' hand moved quickly to her throat, were so many years before it had been pierced.

"Until we meet again, Abomination." Anderson turned and walked away.

Celes didn't even wait for Anderson to vanish from her sight. She turned and moved as quickly as she could in the opposite direction. Her hand that had been on her throat moved down into her jacket. When it reappeared, there was necklace in her hand, at the end of it a stone. But not just any stone, a Maxwell Demon's stone, given to her by a certain Goddess. She wrapped her hand around the stone and squeezed it.

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Terra 2

"He's only 10." Kensuke said, "And they expect him to be Shogun?"

"It's the way it's always been here." Lime (the mortal) said. She was busy helping to unpack the boxes Sayoko had brought down from the heavens "Every Shogun is a clone of the original."

Kensuke shrugged and opened another box. "I'm not saying it's bad. It's just………..well to me the whole clone thing is slightly weird. An entire planet of men?"

"Now with women." Lime said, "Don't forget that."

"And he'd better keep his eyes off those women." Sayoko said as she walked into the living room.

With a loud pop. Keima suddenly appeared in the midst of boxes, carrying another box.

"Geez Onee-chan," he muttered, "Did you pack the entire house?"

"Of course not!" Sayoko then smiled, "Mom's clothes don't look good on me."

"Right." He hefted the box. "Where do you want this?"

Sayoko glanced at the box. "Oh, that goes in the bedroom. And whatever you do, don't open it."

Keima frowned. "Why? What's in it?"

"Something for Kensuke's eyes only." Sayoko said with a sultry smile.

Keima turned deep red. "Oh." He then shuddered. "Oh man I did not need to know that. Oh heck." He dropped the box and started shaking his head. "Darn it, bad pictures of Onee-chan, get out of head. ARGHHH!!!" he ran from the room holding his head. He ran past Yui and Arael who had just entered the house.

"What happened to him?" Yui asked.

"Nothing." Sayoko replied as she lifted the box Keima had dropped. "Nothing at all."

She began to walk towards the bedroom, humming to herself. Suddenly she stopped and dropped the box. Her hand went to her earring. She then whirled about, a look of surprise on her face.

"What is it?" asked Kensuke.

"Celes." Came her reply.

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Earth

Neo-Tokyo

Celes paced back and forth in her apartment, the gun her master had given her never straying far from her grasp. Any second she expected to see Father Anderson burst through her door. It had been over twenty minutes since she had signaled for Sayoko, and the goddess had yet to make any attempt at communication. The sound of footsteps outside her door caused her to freeze. She slowly raised her weapon and pointed it at the door. Then the footsteps retreated, followed by the sound of a door opening and closing further up the hall. Celes leaned back against the wall with a sigh.

"Celes?"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!" Ceres turned and fired.

When the smoke cleared, Celes could see a wide-eyed Sayoko leaning out of her mirror. She was in her battle outfit, though her helmet was now sporting a bullet shaped groove down it's left side. Sayoko's eyes slowly shifted to the left as if she could see the groove while wearing the helmet. She then looked back at Celes.

"Have I come at a bad time?"

Celes dropped her hand with the gun.

"I'm sorry." Celes rubbed her face. "I'm a little jumpy."

Sayoko floated out of the mirror and landed on the floor beside Celes. She then removed her helmet and stared at the new 'marking'.

"I'll say you're jumpy." Sayoko tossed the helmet onto the couch then looked at Celes. "What happened?"

"I ran into Father Anderson." Celes gave a weak smile. "We had a very 'pleasant' discussion."

"I see."

"It was the usual stuff." Celes said, "I'm an abomination before god that he must send to hell."

"Well in a way, he's right." Celes looked up at Sayoko confused. "You ARE an abomination. But you don't need to be sent to hell."

"Thanks. I think."

Celes dropped onto her couch. Sayoko moved her helmet to the floor and sat next to her.

"So what do I do?" asked Celes, "I can't fight him, I'll lose."

"You are not going to do anything." Sayoko said. "What I am going to do is make a phone call and bring in another friend. Then WE are going to decide what to do." Sayoko shrugged. "Worst case, we move you to Terra 2. He can't get you there."

"And where am I going to live?" Celes asked.

"With me and Kensuke." Sayoko said, "We have a nice house by the lake."

"Just what I need," Celes muttered, "to hear you two going at it like rabbits."

Sayoko blushed.

"We're not that bad. Besides, we'll be gone for a week on our honeymoon."

Celes raised an eyebrow. "A wedding?"

"Yep." Sayoko nodded, "And you're invited of course."

Celes smiled. "Thanks."

"Now lets make sure your still around to come to it." Sayoko stood up and walked over to the phone.

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Terra 2

Yui stood up and stretched.

"Geez! Where did Aunt Sayoko get all this stuff?"

"She's had a lifetime and then some to get it all." Kensuke said. He held up a picture showing Sayoko, Asuka, Shinji, Hikari, Touji, Rei, and himself. "This was taken back when we were in high school. In fact………" He dug around in the box a bit. "Ah ha!" He pulled out a patch that had Unit-04s image on it. "These were on our uniforms during the school competition, and………" He pulled out a trophy. "She got to keep this because she was driving."

"I remember her telling me about that." Keima said.

"Oh?" Kensuke looked at his soon-to-be brother in-law. "What else did she tell you?"

Keima thought for a moment. "She told me ever single thing that you did in High School."

Kensuke paled. "Everything?"

Keima nodded. "I personally enjoyed how you tried to find out if she had any other distinguishing marks on her body."

"YOU WHAT!?!?" shouted Yui, Lime, and Arael.

Kensuke got even whiter. "I was a teenager! Immature!"

"Yet you were still able to get a camera set up in the shower of the girl's locker room." Keima said, "To bad the camera lenses got steamed up before it took any pictures."

Yui, Lime, and Arael were now glaring at Kensuke. Kensuke slowly began to back away from the enraged females.

"I told you! I was a teenager!" he cried, "Besides, Sayoko forgave me for that!"

"Did she?" Yui asked.

"She did! She really did!" Kensuke looked at Keima. "I'm telling the truth! You know that!"

Keima looked thoughtful for a second, enjoying the look of desperation on Kensuke's face. He then turned to the girls.

"He is telling the truth."

Kensuke let out a sigh of relief as the girls calmed down. He did jump when a loud beep went off in the room. Arael frowned and pulled out the god's communicator. She walked over and placed it on the table. No image came up, but someone rattled away at her in the god's language. Arael responded and then put the device away.

"I am needed." She said. She crossed arms and lowered her head. She vanished in a bright flash.

"Wonder who needed her?" Lime said.

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Earth

Neo-Tokyo

Father Anderson waited.

It had been over 500 years, but now he had finally tracked down one of only two Vampires that had ever eluded him. He now stood in an alley, across the street from the female abomination's apartment. She had tried to hide herself among the thousands of heathens that lived in this country, living like one of them. But she could not deny her urge to feed on blood. He had known those Hellsing dogs had to feed their pets. Only after much research did he find that the Protestant organization had requisitioned more medicinal blood then most small hospitals. Since the Hellsing troops had few operational casualties until just before they were disbanded, he knew it had to be for the Vampires. In the years afterward, he poured over hospital reports. At one point he thought he had them, but it turned out to be just the girl. Arucard had slipped through his finger, but he wasn't about to let the girl do the same.

Then she too vanished. It infuriated Anderson. How could a Vampire just vanish? He spent the next several hundred years doing the work of God, removing the vampire threat. But when he wasn't working, he was searching, trying to find that one piece of information that would lead him to those two Vampires. Then he found it. A report from a Neo-Tokyo hospital about mysterious shortages of medicinal blood. It was a slim chance that it was them, but he took it.

And he found her. He had gone to the church that day simply to pray. On his way he discovered a Vampire and eliminated it. After meditating, he had been walking out from the tombs below when he spotted the girl. She was with another, he could only assume she was a Vampire as well. Both had then vanished. For weeks he had searched and then he found her again.

Across the street the door opened. Anderson watched as the female abomination stepped out on to the street. She adjusted her jacket as she glanced about, then took off down the street. Anderson stepped out from the alley and followed.

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"I still don't like this." muttered Celes.

"Hey I've got your back." came the reply.

Celes tried to glance over her shoulder into her hood. Inside of it, a pint-sized Sayoko sat in her battle outfit, looking out from the hood for the regenerator. Celes grumbled and looked forward again.

"Stop grumbling." Sayoko said, "It will all be over soon."

"That has kind of an ominous tone to it." Celes replied.

Sayoko didn't reply.

After several moments of silence, Celes began to get worried.

"Why so quiet?" she finally asked.

"He's behind us."

Celes stumbled slightly, but continued walking.

"Where?" she asked.

"Across the street to your left and behind." Sayoko said. "Remember, we have to find an empty alley."

"I know." Celes replied.

",,,,otherwise we can't help you."

Celes turned her head. "I kno…."

Celes slammed into a pedestrian. The impact knocked her off balance and she fell backwards to the ground. She looked up at the person she had run into.

"Oh I'm sorry Miss." the man said, "Here let me help you up."

Celes took the offered hand and stood up.

"You alright Miss?" the man asked.

"Yes I'm fine. Thank-you."

"No problem Miss." The man turned and continued on his way.

"Sayoko?" Celes muttered. There was no reply. "Sayoko this isn't funny, say something!" Still no reply. Celes reached around and grabbed at her hood. It felt light, like it was………empty.

"Oh Crap!" Celes exclaimed in English, causing several confused glances from passerby's. Celes turned about her, looking on the ground. She didn't see any sign of the pint-sized goddess though. Something did catch her attention. Father Anderson was no longer on the opposite side of the street. He was now on her side and rapidly approaching.

"Shit shit shit!" She quickly rose to her feet and began to run. Behind her she could hear another set of footprints. A quick glance back showed they belonged to Anderson. Celes looked about. The plan had been for her to find an alley out of view from the public were Anderson could be handled. Unfortunately, the plan depended on Sayoko being with her to call in whatever help she had sent for from the apartment. Now, without Sayoko, Celes was on her own. Celes turned down a side street. She stopped for a second and looked around, then slammed into a nearby door. The door opened allowing Celes to enter. She then turned around and slammed the door shut, leaning against it. She heard Anderson's footsteps stop outside the door for a moment, then continued. Celes sighed and took in her surroundings.

It was an old shop, long since abandoned. Water stains on the walls gave the reason. Celes stood up and walked deeper into the shop. She walked through a doorway, entering what used to be a large storeroom. More importantly, the storeroom had a back door. Celes started towards the door when something flew past her head and slammed into the door. Celes froze. Still shaking slightly from its sudden stop was a sword, holding a paper, covered in prayers, tightly against the door.

"I told you Abomination, you couldn't hide forever."

Celes whipped around, bringing up her gun in her right hand. Before she could take aim something pierced her right shoulder, slamming her into the wall behind her. Her gun also went off, just before she dropped the weapon. She looked downward to see one of the Priest's holy water covered swords stuck in her shoulder. She also spotted the gun just out of reach of her hand. She started to reach for it when another sword slammed into the gun, knocking the gun away.

"Now now," Anderson said, "You've already had your chance with your pop gun." He grinned. Anderson pulled out a sword. "Now it's my turn. In the name of the father, the son, and the holy ghost." He flung the sword with all his strength aiming right at Celes' head.

"Amen."


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The sword flew straight and true towards her head. Celes closed her eyes, preparing herself for the pain.

But it didn't come.

Celes opened one eye. The sword was floating just in front of her face, frozen in a blue glow.

'What……why….?' She thought.

Her opinion was shared by Father Anderson.

"What sort of deviltry is this?" he roared.

"No deviltry." came a female voice, "Only the act of a goddess." The sword fell to the ground in front of Celes.

Celes saw Anderson turn around to face the voice. From where she sat against the wall she could see who it was he faced.

"A Goddess?!" Anderson shouted, "You speak blasphemy! For there is only our Lord."

Sayoko just smiled, "I am what I am. I cannot lie. I am the Goddess Sayoko."

Anderson smiled, "A heathen god? You're but a demon in my eyes." He pulled out another sword. "And you shall meet the same fate." He charged at Sayoko and swung his blade. Sayoko didn't even flinch. The blade stopped within inches of her neck as it crashed into another blade. Anderson turned his head to see a full armored woman beside the 'self proclaimed goddess'. Her sword was what his had been stopped by.

"Hello," the woman said, "We haven't met. My name is Mist. And you will not harm the Lady Sayoko." She then shoved him away, taking a defensive stance between him and the goddess.

"The Lord will protect me from your heathen ways." He muttered.

"Seeing how he is my Grandfather I highly doubt that." Sayoko replied. She waved her hand. Anderson found himself flying through the air, slamming hard against the wall. Stunned, he watched as the goddess walked over to Celes and took hold of the sword in her shoulder.

Celes winced as the blade was removed. Sayoko then pressed her hands against the wound, muttering softly. A soft glow appeared around Sayoko's hands. Celes looked down as Sayoko removed her hands to see perfectly healed skin through the hole in her coat and shirt. A yell and then a loud crash brought her attention back to the situation at hand. Anderson now had a blade in each hand and was trying to fight his way through the Valkyrie. Celes had seen her master fight against Anderson before, and he had never got away with out a slash or a stab wound, once he even lost his head. But so far the Priest had yet to even touch the Valkyrie with his blade.

"ENOUGH!" shouted Sayoko, waving her hand. The Priest was soon flying through the air again, stopping only when he hit the wall. Sayoko walked over beside Mist.

"He's not going to give up is he?" asked Sayoko.

"No." Both deities turned around as Celes walked up to them. "He won't stop. My Master removed both his arms and her still charged at him."

"We can't kill him." Mist muttered, "Kami-sama won't allow that."

"He won't?" Celes asked slightly surprised.

"He is a Priest, regardless."

Sayoko stepped forward, making sure that Anderson's attention was completely on her.

"I ask you to cease hunting the Vampire Celes Victoria." She said, "Will you comply?"

"Never!" Anderson shouted, rising to his feet. "She is an Abomination before the eyes of God. If you were truly sent by him you would know this!"

Sayoko turned around and looked at Mist.

"Sounds like you." She said.

Mist shrugged. "Times change."

"How do you want to handle it?"

"I don't." Mist then looked off to the side. "Fortunately I did get a hold of someone who can."

Sayoko turned and looked in the direction that Mist was looking in. She then smiled. Celes frowned slightly.

"Who is that?" she asked.

"I believe you met her before. She is Arael."

The Angel walked forward and gave Sayoko a small smile. "Mist called for my help, though I do not know what I can do."

"I think I know what she was going for." Sayoko turned and looked at Anderson. "You see this woman here?" She pointed towards Arael.

Anderson glared at her.

"She is the Angel of Light, the 15th Messenger, Arael."

Anderson blinked.

"Yes you heard me right." Sayoko said, "The being that attacked Tokyo-3 so many many many years ago. She stands before you now."

"This woman cannot be that……..Angel." Anderson snarled, "She could be anyone."

Sayoko sighed, then glanced at Arael. Arael nodded. Sayoko turned and grabbed Celes by the arm, leading her back into the front of the store. Mist followed, closing the door to the storeroom.

"What is she going to….." began Celes before a bright white light appeared through the cracks in the door. Anderson's screams followed shortly thereafter. Mist waved her hand and the wall took on a slightly blue tinge, the shouts were now muffled.

"What's she doing to him?" Celes asked.

"Making him relive old painful memories." The goddess replied, "Though I doubt that will help at this point."

Sayoko sighed and leaned against the old counter.

"He's a tough old priest." She said, "Firm in his beliefs."

"He would have to be to have killed so many Vampires and Ghouls." Mist replied, "That and his regenerative powers."

Sayoko nodded and looked at Celes sadly.

"Looks like your life here won't be getting easier. Ready for a change of scenery?"

"You mean Terra 2?" the vampire asked.

Sayoko nodded.

"Might as well." Celes walked over and looked out the window into the street. "Constantly looking over your shoulder, wondering what is going to be around the next corner gets old after awhile."

Sayoko gave a small smile.

"We'll go back and pack up everything you need," she said, "when Arael is done."

"Lady Sayoko," came Mist's voice, "I believe she has."

Sayoko glanced at the door. The door was now dark, other then the faint bluish tinge. Mist waved her hand, causing the blue to completely vanish. She then opened the door and entered the stockroom. Sayoko glanced at Celes, then followed. Celes took a deep breath, then followed the deities.

Anderson was still in the same spot she had seen him last. His eyes were wide open, blinking ever now and then. He was also speaking quietly, so quiet she didn't even hear him at first.

"What's he saying?" Celes finally asked.

Sayoko listened for a moment. "He's quoting the bible."

"How come I can't understand him?"

"He's quoting it in Latin."

Celes looked at Anderson, who as of yet didn't acknowledge anyone's presence. She then looked at Sayoko again.

"What part of the bible?"

Mist then began to speak. "……..Then the spirits brought the kings together in the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl in the air. A loud voice came from the throne in the temple, saying, 'It is done!'…….."

"Revelations." Sayoko said, "Interesting." She looked over at Arael. "You alright?"

Arael nodded. "He has…….a very interesting history."

"I imagine so. Will he recover?"

Arael nodded. "He saw only enough to cause him to fall on his knees and beg Kami-sama for mercy. I stopped shortly thereafter and he's been quoting scripture ever since."

"Alright then." Sayoko looked at Celes. "Let's start your packing."

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Terra 2

Several Days later

Kensuke sat on the couch, starring at the ceiling.

"You alright?"

Kensuke glanced over to see Keima standing at the entrance to the living room.

"No, I'm not alright." Kensuke replied, "I just spent the last four days unpacking boxes and boxes of stuff and trying to figure out where to put it all. That was just Sayoko's stuff. Then came Celes' stuff." He sighed. "Fortunately she doesn't seem to like shopping as much as Sayoko does." He then looked up at Keima. "Why are you here?"

"Lime, Cherry, Bloodberry, Yui, and Arael are all out. Don't know where and they refused to tell me." Keima said, "Got too quiet over there, so I decided to come here."

Kensuke frowned. "What is this? A mass exodus of the females? Sayoko and Celes are gone too."

Keima shrugged. "I don't know. Dad did say that Urd and Skuld have been sneaking around the house giggling about something. Maybe it has something to do with the wedding."

Kensuke leaned back. "With the wedding? What could possibly require all the………" He suddenly sat up. "Oh no………."

"What is it?"

"I just figured it out." Kensuke looked at Keima. "There can only be one thing happening that would require the presence of all the females that Sayoko knows, and that guys would be prohibited from."

"….and that is?"

"A bachelorette party."

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Hell

The Seedier side

"Where in the name of Kami-sama are we Auntie?" asked a blindfolded Sayoko.

Urd and Skuld giggled as their led their niece along.

"Not gonna tell you." Skuld said, "Keep walking."

Behind them, Lime, Yui, Arael, Celes, Cherry, Bloodberry followed. All six were whispering silently amongst themselves.

"Remind me why we're in hell?" asked Cherry as she looked around nervously.

"Aunt Urd and Auntie Skuld wanted to have a bachelorette party." Yui said, "But you can't exactly have that kind of thing in heaven."

"Why not?" asked Bloodberry.

"Because some of the older Gods frown on such things." Yui said. "So when the young gods want to party, they come here."

"But why hell?" asked Cherry, "Why not Terra 2 or Earth?"

Arael then spoke up. "Because some of Sayoko's friends are unable to go to the surface of either planet."

"Why?" asked Lime, "They get in trouble?"

"No." Arael glanced at the two mortal girls. "They are dead."

Urd and Skuld then turned into a building, still leading their clueless niece along. The other six stopped and looked at the place. A sign blinked overhead naming the place as 'Hell's Liquor Cabinet'.

"I have a bad feeling about this." Cherry said as she and the others entered.

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Sayoko knew they had entered a building, she heard a door open and loud music and shouting, but she still didn't know where. The look her Aunts had been giving her before she'd been blindfolded also had her confused. Both had had rather evil looking grins. Suddenly the music stopped and the room got quiet.

"Ladies!" came a voice that Sayoko instantly recognized as Mara's, "I give you the woman of the hour! The future Mrs. Aida!"

The blindfold was removed and Sayoko blinked as the entire place cheered. She spotted Mara right away. She was standing on a stage which was surrounded by tables. Standing around tables were people Sayoko met over the years. The only thing was that they were all female. Over there was Misato, Megumi, Sayoko (the older version), Yui (Shinji's Mom), Kyoko, Ritsuko, and Maya. Over there were Hatsuho, Mizuho, and Maho. Another table had Chrono, Erie, X, Peorth, even the Ex-Demon turned Goddess Ceres. Sayoko was directed to a table near the front where Rei, Asuka, and Hikari were already waiting. Asuka and Rei moved to either side of her and placed a hand on her shoulder, sitting her down.

"What's all this?" Sayoko asked, dreading the answer.

"What are you stupid?" asked Asuka, "You're getting married!"

"And as such," Rei said, "We are celebrating one of your last nights as a single woman."

Mara then taped on the microphone, regaining everyone's attention.

"Before we continue! The bride must receive her crown!"

Sayoko mouth the word crown before a blushing Hikari stood up and moved behind her. The Goddess felt something being pressed onto her head. She frowned slightly and pulled out a mirror. Her eyes went wide as she stared at the object on her head. It was a white head band with pieces of lace here and there, as well as a few flowers…………….and several small square packages. She slowly turned and looked at Hikari who had sat back down, but was still blushing.

"Hikari……..tell me those aren't……."

"I'm sorry Sayoko." Hikari said blushing more.

"And now!" shouted Mara, "On to the fun!" She quickly ran off the stage as the music started up again. Within seconds a man had appeared on the stage, to the loud joyous cries of most of the females present. Sayoko's eyes got even wider as she realized what was about to happen.

'Oh Kami-sama help me!'

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"What is he doing?" asked Cherry.

"Dancing." Lime said, "Rather…..interestingly."

"You two have no idea what is going on do you?" asked Bloodberry.

Both girls shook their heads. Bloodberry sighed and looked over at Yui.

"Should I tell them?"

Yui started to answer, but he attention returned to the stage. "I think they're about to find out."

Lime and Cherry's jaws dropped as the man ripped off his shirt to the cheers of everyone present.

"Oh…..…my……" Lime muttered, her face reddening quickly.

Cherry was just as red. "IT'S IMMORAL!!"

"It's a hellova good time." Yui said with a smile.

"Just think of it as an educational party." Bloodberry said before getting on her feet and joining the cheering.

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In a dark corner of the building, four woman sat silently, watching the……..'show'. Two were Goddesses, one was a Valkyrie, the last, was the Queen of Hell.

"Your daughter appears to be in shock." Hild said

"I don't blame her." Belldandy said softly, "I was in shock at mine."

Cayla, Belldandy's assistant, turned and looked at her boss. "Sempai?"

Belldandy smiled at Cayla. "Urd was just as sneaky then as she is now. Though to see Skuld participating."

"If I may ask," Mist said, "What was Lady Skuld's reaction to yours?"

"She wasn't allowed to go. So she never saw a thing." Belldandy thought a moment. "I believe she ended up spending time with Keiichi that day."

"Ah yes, Keiichi." Hild smiled, "How is that wonderful mortal doing?"

Belldandy's head snapped around. "He's doing quite fine."

"Ohh Arael!" came Cayla's voice, "How are you?"

Belldandy turned to see the Angel standing before their table.

"I'm fine Lady Cayla." Arael said, "Though I find this………display disturbing." She pointed at the now naked dancer.

Belldandy indicated a chair at the table. "Feel free to join us then. We're only here to make sure it doesn't get…….too out of hand."

"Speak for yourself." Hild said, "It's been a long time since I've been to a rowdy party." She then smiled at Cayla. "You look like you need to let your hair down and get wild."

Cayla just blushed and shook her head.

"Don't corrupt my assistant." Belldandy said.

"Spoilsport." Hild turned back and watched the partiers. "I still find this amazing. Gods and Demons mixing together to party. Who would have thought this could happen 500 years ago."

"Just because our jobs conflict doesn't mean we all can't be friends." Belldandy said, "Besides, there are still many rogue demons out there."

"Yeah the rogues." Hild sighed. She then laughed as the dancer had leaped of the stage and was now gyrating in front of Sayoko. "The look on her face! That's funny!"

Even Belldandy chuckled at the sight of her daughter trying to cover her eyes, which was becoming more difficult as Rei and Asuka kept pulling them away.

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Terra 2

Keima, Kensuke, Touji, and Shinji sat around the kitchen table.

"This is boring." Keima said.

"Yeah." mumbled Kensuke.

"You know," Touji said, "We could go out and have our own bachelor party."

"Sure, going to a bar is fine."

"I'm not talking about a bar Kensuke." Touji smiled, "I mean a strip club."

"Are you nuts!" Kensuke shouted, "Sayoko would kill me!"

"Besides," Keima said, "There aren't any on Terra 2."

"So we go to Earth." Touji said.

Kensuke shook his head. "I've seen enough of Earth."

Touji sighed, "Heaven and Hell are out. Urd and Skuld got permission as soon as they heard you'd proposed to Sayoko."

"Guys, you're forgetting something." Everyone looked at Shinji.

"What?" asked Touji.

"Hikari, Rei, Asuka, and even Sayoko would kill us if we went to some club." Shinji shook his head. "We're outnumbered."

"But there's four of them!" Touji said, "And four of us!"

"And Asuka could probably convince Yui to help, who in turn would get Arael to help." Shinji sighed, "Not to mention Sayoko could whisper something into Mist's ears."

Touji let out a moan. "Man…….this sucks!"

"Don't worry about it." Kensuke said, "I really don't have an urge to see gyrating naked woman anyway."

Touji and Shinji looked at each other, then Touji pressed a hand against his forehead.

"He feels normal."

Kensuke knocked Touji's hand away.

"Look, your married, you have Hikari. She's your one and only true love. Would you want to look at someone else other then her."

"Well no…..but…."

Kensuke shook his head.

"But nothing." Kensuke smiled, "You deal with your wives when they come back. I'll deal with Sayoko. But I'm going to get married with clear conscious."

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Hours later

The party was over.

Several of the Goddesses staggered out, bringing along those mortals who now resided in the heavens with them.

After all it wouldn't be good to leave one behind in hell.

Sayoko still sat in the chair she had been forced into by Asuka and Rei, a shocked look on her face. A slightly intoxicated Asuka waved a hand in front of the goddesses face.

"I think we broke her."

Rei shook her head. "I don't think so. It might have been the alcohol."

Celes walked over.

"She awake?"

"Awake yes." Asuka said, still waving her hand in front of Sayoko. "Aware no."

Celes grabbed hold of Sayoko's chair and turned it so she was looking at her right in the face.

"She looks stunned." Celes then smiled. "I've got it."

"What?"

"Watch." Celes leaned in close to Sayoko and bared her fangs, hissing as she did so.

"GAH!!" Sayoko flung herself backwards, tipping the chair over onto her back.

"There!" Celes said proudly.

"Yay!" shouted Asuka, "You fixed her."

"Ow……" muttered Sayoko.

Rei leaned over and looked down at her friend.

"Did you have fun?"

Sayoko rubbed her head. "Ask me again when I'm not thinking of getting new bridesmaids."

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"Mmmmmm." Hild muttered as she stretched. "Good party."

"I'll take your word on that." Belldandy replied.

"Awwww Belldandy. You can't work all the time." Hild smiled, "There are times when you just have to let your hair down and go wild."

"I'll try and remember that." Belldandy stood up. "Thank you for having us."

Hild bowed slightly. "It was my pleasure."

Belldandy smiled and then turned and left, followed closely by Cayla and Mist. Hild sighed and sank into her chair.

"I really have got to get Belldandy to unwind." Hild leaned back, as she thought.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Keima sat reading in his room. Anytime now he expected the girls to arrive back. The guys night had ended up being a movie night. Kensuke had a rather large DVD collection that Sayoko had saved for him.

A loud pop came from the main living room. Keima placed his book down and stood up. He walked over and looked out into the living room. Yui and Cherry were both helping a drunken Bloodberry into her room. Arael was just disappearing into her own room. Lime watched Yui and Cherry help Bloodberry, then started towards her own room. She stopped when she saw Keima.

"Did you have a good time?" Keima asked.

Lime blushed. "I…….didn't enjoy as much as Bloodberry." She then walked over to Keima. "How about you? Did you have a good night?"

"It was alright."

Lime nodded. She then leaned forward and kissed Keima. She held the kiss for almost a minute, then pulled away.

"Good night Keima." She said quietly, "See you in the morning."

Keima smiled. "Good Night Lime."

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Kensuke awoke to a loud thud, followed by cursing in English. He then heard muffled conversation followed by hearing the door to Celes' room shut. The door to the bedroom then opened, admitting his beloved goddess. She closed it behind her, then shuffled slowly over towards the bed. She collapsed face first onto the bed, burying her face in the pillow.

"Are you alright?" Kensuke asked her quietly.

"………."

Kensuke chuckled. "That bad hmm?"

"You have no idea." came Sayoko's muffled voice.

Kensuke rolled over and pulled Sayoko into his arms. She let out a soft sigh as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Hey Sayoko?"

"Hmmmm?"

"Are you aware there's a headband with condoms on your head?"


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Two days later

Sayoko was falling.

It seemed like she fell for hours. The next thing she knew, she was standing just over a large body of water, her feet barely making ripples.

"So there you are."

Sayoko turned to see the only demon ever to strike fear into the heart of Hild herself, the Soultaker.

"You're dead." Sayoko said plainly.

"Am I?" The Soultaker smiled. "You saw my dead body?"

"It was blown up and buried in the resulting explosion."

"Of course it was." The Soultaker said with a smile.

Sayoko crossed her arms. "What do you want?"

"Direct as always my little Lucy."

"I am not Lucy." Sayoko said with a glare.

"You're right of course. My Lucy was a bit more fun." Soultaker sighed, "I'm here to warn you."

"You," Sayoko said, pointing at the demon. "Are warning me? Why do I find that funny?"

"Laugh all you want." The Soultaker said, "But heed my words, you, your family, your friends, are all in danger."

Sayoko glared at the demon. "From who?"

"Your past." The Soultaker waved her hands. All around them appeared enemies from Sayoko's past, Gendo Ikari, Loki, Lucy, Draco, all the members of SEELE, and the 10 resurrected Angels who had attacked Terra 2 twenty years before. The Soultaker looked around before facing Sayoko again. "Your past haunts you, and will continue to do so in the future."

Sayoko sighed, "The only thing from my past that's haunting me right now is you."

The Soultaker smiled. "You have been warned." She faded from sight, as did the ghosts of her past.

Abruptly, the surface of the water gave, and Sayoko fell in with a splash.

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Terra 2

Sayoko sat up, breathing heavily.

"Damn." She muttered, "Stupid nightmare."

 A quick look around showed her to still be in her bedroom. She glanced at the digital clock on her nightstand.

5am

In about 7 hours she would be married.

"Damn wedding day jitters." muttered Sayoko.

"Mmmm Sayoko……" came a quiet mutter, "lemme worship you some more……"

Sayoko blushed and looked at the other person in the bed. Kensuke was still asleep, and obviously dreaming.

"Mmmmmm," Kensuke muttered again, "I love you my Goddess……"

"I love you too Kensuke." Sayoko whispered quietly. She then got up and headed towards the bathroom. As she did, she waved a hand over her, changing her clothes from her nightgown to her goddess robes. "Enough sleep. Time to start the day." She then vanished into the bathroom mirror.

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Heaven

Peorth sighed.

It was the start of what was going to be a very long month. Every thousand years or so, the operators and administrators preformed a cleanup of the Yggdrasil system. Files that were no longer accessed and old programs that were no longer used were removed from the main system and placed in the Archives. This was to be the first cleanup Peorth had ever participated in. From talking to past SysOps, Peorth knew to expect long exhausting shifts until the cleanup was complete. The only bright spot of the entire would be later that day, Sayoko's wedding.

"Auntie Peorth?"

'Speaking of Sayoko.' Peorth swiveled her chair. "Hey Sayoko, what's……" Peorth stared at Sayoko. "What happened to you? You look like you just woke up."

"I did." Sayoko moved next to Peorth and glanced at the SysOp terminal. "Has there been anything weird happening?"

"Nope." Peorth glanced over the terminal as well, "All quiet. Why?"

"I just had a nightmare." Sayoko said, "Someone from the past showed up in it."

Peorth shrugged, "Doesn't sound so bad."

"Peorth," Sayoko leaned closer and whispered. "It was that Demon, the Soultaker."

"Oh."

"She said all of my friends and family were in danger. Is their any chance……..?"

"It's been five hundred years Sayoko." Peorth said, "If she was going to do something, she would have done it by now."

"That's just it." Sayoko said, "Draco had five hundred years too, and look what he did. I'm just looking for a little peace of mind here."

"I understand." Peorth typed rapidly on the terminal. "I'll run a check over everything myself. I'll also give Hell a call and see if they can find anything." Peorth smiled at her. "They actually have their mainframe running correctly for a change."

"Thanks Auntie."

"No problem kiddo. Now go get ready. It's a big day and your hair is a mess."

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It was a very large auditorium. It had to be to hold every deity in the heavens when the new First class goddesses were presented. This was typically done only once a year as to get everyone present took a lot of planning to make sure all the key systems were covered. Even then, 200 or so deities were unable to attend.

The event being held that day was a little more unusual. Marriages between the gods were not fairly common, mostly because of their long lives, thus it wouldn't be surprising to see a couple celebrating their 500th, or 1,000th wedding anniversary. Marriages between God and mortal were even more rare, Belldandy being the only one in the past 800 years that had done so (Skuld and Sentaro were still only dating, both scared to ask the other the 'big question'). Several gods and goddesses moved about to add decorations here and there.

Keiichi, currently the only mortal present in the room, sat silently and watched. In some ways he was having flash backs back to his own wedding, watching people scurry about with last minute preparations. The full meaning of the day had hit him weeks ago.

Today his baby was getting married.

Alright, so she wasn't exactly his baby any more (the baby in question being well over five hundred years old), but still, today was the last day she would carry the family name Morisato. From here on after, she would be known as Mrs. Aida.

'Only a few hours to go.' Keiichi thought, 'And then this room will be filled with family and friends.' He glanced over to see Belldandy talking about something to Cayla. He smiled. Belldandy had thrown herself completely into the preparations. And it was clearly wearing her out. It wasn't just the wedding tiring out the Goddess, she was still performing her role as Councilor for Terra 2 as well as the Norse Gods. Between the wedding, paperwork, and council meetings, he hadn't seen much of Belldandy in the last several weeks. If it wasn't for Cayla being around, he'd probably have never seen Belldandy even that much.

He sighed as he leaned back into the chair.

'I wonder how Sayoko is?'

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"ACK! My Hair!"

Sayoko had just sat down in front of the mirror in her old room. She was now staring at the horror that was her hair.

"It's not that bad." Rei said, "Look we can comb out the tangles."

"A lot of tangles." muttered Sayoko, "Maybe I should have kept it short like yours."

Rei smiled, "I've been trying to let it grow out like yours."

Sayoko finally cracked a smile. The door opened admitting Asuka and Hikari.

"What!" shouted Asuka, "You're not even in your dress yet!"

"It's still four hours before the wedding." Sayoko said.

"Which means we don't have a lot of time." Asuka said, "We're going to make sure that Kensuke is totally blown away when he sees you."

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"Don't faint."

"Don't faint?" Kensuke glared at Shinji, "I ask you for advice and all you can say is don't faint?! What kind of help is that?!"

"The best I can offer." Shinji said.

Kensuke sighed. He, Shinji, Touji, and Keima were sitting in the house on Terra 2. Sayoko had vanished at some point that morning. Celes was still around, but other then making him a nice breakfast, she hadn't been out of her room much. He assumed she was getting ready as well.

"You know when I married Hikari, I was a nervous wreck." Touji said, "I was worried if I would screw up, if Hikari would change her mind." He then glared at Shinji. "Turns out I should have been worried that a friend of mine was about to ruin my honeymoon."

Shinji just smiled, "I told you, you shouldn't have called Asuka a demon."

A thought occurred to Kensuke. "Shinji………you aren't planning anything are you?"

Shinji placed his elbows on the table, and rested his head on his interlaced hands, covering the lower portion of his face.

"Why Mr. Aida," he said in an eerie voice similar to his father's, "Why ever would you think that? That scenario has long since played out."

"Shinji…….."

"Yes?"

"Never do that again."

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Four hours later

Sayoko peered carefully through the doorway. Sitting in the seats were many of her friends and family, both mortal (alive and dead) and god. While the auditorium wasn't full, she could still feel a very large happy vive to the place. But that didn't help her fears any.

"Wow." Was all she could say.

"You're nervous aren't you?" Rei asked. Rei was performing the role of Sayoko's Maid of Honor. Asuka and Hikari were the other two brides maids.

Sayoko could only nod at Rei's question.

"Just take deep breaths." Asuka said, "And remember, Kensuke is probably just as nervous as you."

"He is?" Sayoko asked.

Asuka nodded, "After all, he'll be standing before Kami-sama, in front of all your friends and family, as well as his. And he'll be marrying the prettiest deity in heaven, after me of course."

"She's right." Everyone turned to see Belldandy and Keiichi standing behind them.

"I was nervous too." Belldandy smiled, "Although, I was nervous because we didn't know if Mara would ruin it."

"Don't have to worry about that this time though." Keiichi said, "Mara's in there next to Urd."

Sayoko peered back into the auditorium. Sure enough, there was the Demon Mara, chatting away with Urd and Ceres, the former demon. Another glance up the aisle showed that Kensuke was standing at the alter, waiting with Keima, Shinji, Touji, and her Grandfather, Kami-sama, who would be performing the ceremony. They were talking amongst themselves. Touji must have said something pretty bad because both Kensuke and Shinji glared at him. Sayoko then ducked out of site.

"Wow." She said again.

"Well I guess I had better get seated." Belldandy started to walk into the auditorium. Then she stopped. "I'm proud of you."

"Thank you Momma."

Belldandy smiled then hurried into the auditorium. Keiichi then stepped next to his daughter and held out his arm.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

Sayoko took hold of his arm.

"I've been ready forever."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kensuke looked up as Belldandy hurriedly walked down the aisle. She took her seat up in the front next to Skuld, Urd, and the Demon Mara, leaving space off to the side for Keiichi. Belldandy then look up at Kensuke. Seeing him looking at her, she smiled and winked. 

Kensuke let out a sigh and looked around the auditorium for what had to be the seventh time. He knew exactly where everyone was. His parents were sitting next to Misato and Kaji Ryoji. Kouzou Fuyutsuki, Yui Ikari (Shinji's mother), Ritsuko Akagi, Maya Ibuki were also present. Most of the Suzuhara clan had shown up as well as Mizuho, Kei, Hatsuho, and Maho (that pretty much covered the 'dead' people). Several Gods and Goddesses were also present, including Ceres, Cayla, X, Chronos, Erie, even Mist. Nearby were Yui Ikari (Shinji and Asuka's daughter), Lime, Cherry, Bloodberry, Lime (the marionette) Lorelei, and Otaru. Also present near Yui were Arael and Celes. Kensuke had no problem with the Vampire being present. He was happy to know that she had been cared for while he was gone. It was the Arael he was wondering about. He had met her when he had first returned as she had been with Sayoko, but he knew nothing about the woman. In the time he'd spent on Terra 2, he'd never really had the chance to talk to Arael.

Any other thoughts he had quickly stopped as music began to play. First down the aisle came Hikari. Kensuke was still surprised when he saw her. Sayoko had told him in the past that when someone died, they would appear in heaven in the form of their youthful selves, which meant that Hikari looked to be in her twenties.

Next up the aisle was the red demon herself, Asuka. Kensuke let out a small sigh.

'I have got to stop thinking of her that way.' He thought, 'She's not that bad.'

Finally the Maid of Honor, Rei, made her way down the aisle. She still looked as she did so many years ago, and was also still very single. Heck, he thought, she was probably the only true 'maid' left in his circle of friends.

The music changed and everyone rose as two figures appeared at the entryway. Kensuke froze in awe as Sayoko came into view.

'My god……...she's beautiful.'

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ladies and Gentleman!" Cayla shouted, "I present to you Mr. And Mrs. Kensuke Aida!"

Everyone cheered as newlyweds exited Keiichi and Belldandy's house. The reception was being held in the back yard of their home, which was about the only place large enough to hold a gathering such as this.

From where she stood, Urd cheered and hooted loudly for her niece.

"She seems really happy."

Urd glanced to the side where Mara was standing. "Yes, she is."

Mara looked around. "Nice party."

"It is." Urd replied as she looked around. Then she frowned. "Someone's missing."

"Who?"

"Peorth." Urd said, "I don't see her here."

"You're right." Mara glanced around. "Come to think of it, I didn't see her at the wedding either."

Urd looked around for her middle sister. "I'm going to say something to Belldandy and then I'm going to look for her."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kensuke and Sayoko had been moving amongst the guests, greeting them and chatting for a bit before moving on to the next. It was then that he found himself face to face with Arael.

"Hello Arael." Kensuke said, "Are you enjoying yourself?"

"I'm finding this, interesting." Arael replied, "Lilim customs have always……puzzled me."

"Lilim…..?" Kensuke stared at Arael confused slightly before frowning. "Why would you use the word Lilim?"

"She should be using the word mortal." Sayoko said walking up behind Kensuke.

Arael bowed slightly. "My mistake."

Kensuke looked at Arael curiously. "You know, I haven't found out what domain or class you are. I don't suppose you could tell me?"

"I have no domain." Arael said softly, "For I am not a goddess."

"You're a guardian?" Kensuke asked.

"No……."

Now Kensuke was very confused. "Well then what are you?"

"Ken, she's…….." began Sayoko before Arael held up her hand, stopping her.

"I am Arael, the 15th Messenger." She said softly. "Now the last surviving Messenger."

Kensuke's eyes widened. He had read every classified and unclassified report in the UN files concerning NERV and SEELE. Thus when he heard Arael say what she was, he knew exactly what she meant.

"You're an Angel." He said.

"That is the name the lil……..mortals have given me and my brothers."

Kensuke then looked back at Sayoko. "The 15th, that was the one that entered you and Asuka's mind."

Sayoko nodded.

"So why is she here?!" he asked, his voice starting to rise. "She was dead!"

"A demon brought back the Angels." Sayoko said softly, "Four returned to the heavens that they had once turned against. They fought against their brothers, saving Lorelei, Asuka, Yui, myself, the entire planet of Terra 2." Sayoko walked beside Arael and placed an arm on her shoulder. "And now they are all dead, all but Arael."

"But she……"

"I forgave her for that a long time ago." Sayoko said, cutting him off. "Asuka has forgiven her as well." Sayoko's face softened. "She's become a good friend."

Kensuke looked at Arael for a moment.

"In that case," Kensuke held out his hand to Arael. "Please forgive me. And I hope that I could be counted as one of your friends."

Arael looked at his hand before taking it.

"There is nothing to forgive." Arael said, "Your anger is understandable. There is nothing I can do to atone for what I did."

"Arael," Sayoko scolded, "I thought we had finally gotten you to stop talking like that." She then smiled. "Now come on, weddings are suppose to be fun, and I'll be damned if I'm gonna let you mope at mine."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"There you are!"

Peorth was sitting before a terminal in her office, illuminated only by the light from the screen. She turned around to see Urd and Mara entering.

"What is it?" Peorth asked.

"You missed the wedding." Urd said, crossing her arms, "And the reception has just started."

"Sorry." Peorth looked back at her terminal. "Sayoko asked me to do something for her."

"What was that?"

"She had a dream." Peorth replied, "The Soultaker was in it."

Behind her, Urd and Mara both inhaled sharply.

"Is she….?" began Mara.

"No. Sayoko is not regressing back to Lucy."

"But then is…….?" Urd began to ask.

"No. The Soultaker has not returned either. I've been scanning the entire system." Peorth looked at Urd and Mara. "I even talked to the demon ops. They've found nothing."

"Wait. You said they didn't," Urd said, "What about you?"

Peorth turned around and pointed at her screen. "What do you make of that?"

Urd looked at the image. "It's a Yggdrasil connection display. PDS, brainwave, file access, everything."

"Look at it closer."

Urd leaned forward. Several of the lines appeared to split into two every couple of seconds.

"There's two?"

Peorth nodded.

"Who is it?"

Peorth typed in a command that brought up the name.

Urd and Mara's jaws dropped.

"But you said she wasn't………" Mara started to say.

"She's not." Peorth replied. "This is nothing like the other time. Yggdrasil is still crunching the numbers but it should be done about……."

Ding!

"…….now." Peorth brought up a new window and quickly read it.

"Oh…..my….."

"What?!" shouted Urd as she leaned forward to read the screen, "What is….." Urd blinked. "Oh….……"

Mara looked at the two goddesses, then read the screen.

The demon blinked as well.

"Holy shit!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lime sighed as she watched Sayoko and Kensuke enjoying their first dance as husband and wife.

"It's so romantic." She murmured.

Beside her, Cherry sighed as well.

"Yeah."  Cherry then let out a second sigh as other people began to join the couple in dancing. "You're lucky."

"Hmm?"

"You're in college. You're dating a great guy." Cherry sighed again. "And you'll probably get married before I do."

"You'll find someone Cherry." Lime said, "It's not like there's a shortage of men on Terra 2."

"Says the girl dating a God."

Lime blushed. "Well…….."

Cherry glanced over Lime's shoulder. "Speaking of which……"

Lime felt arms wrap around her, and then felt someone's breath next to her ear.

"Care to dance?" came Keima's voice.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two goddesses and a demon walked down a street in heaven.

"You think we should tell her?"

"Tell her what? It needs to be confirmed. It's still to early."

"Confirmed? It's Yggdrasil! How much more confirmation do you need?"

"Yggdrasil has been wrong before. Besides, with all that's happened to her, we just want to be sure."

Urd, Peorth, and Mara walked through the gate and up the path that led to the residence of the Morisato's. The sounds of the party drifted from behind the house.

"Ahhh man." muttered Urd, "They already started."

"Hope they saved us some cake." Mara said as they entered the house.

"There you are!"

The three turned to see Hild standing near the refreshments.

"I wondered where you all went off to." Hild said.

"Mom?" Urd asked, "What are you doing?"

"Performing an age old practice." Hild said with a smile. She then held out a bottle.

Peorth raised an eyebrow. "Soda? You're spiking the drinks with soda?"

"Yep."

Urd stared blankly at her mother for a moment, then her eyes went wide.

"Sayoko gets drunk off of soda."

"Yes….." Hild said, her smile getting bigger.

"Belldandy gets drunk off of soda."

"Exactly! That girl needs to unwind. What better way then getting her totally smashed!"

"I've seen Belldandy smashed." Urd said. "She grants wishes at the drop of a hat."

A smile began to creep across Peorth's face.

"But she doesn't grant wishes anymore." Peorth looked at Urd. "And she's here in heaven, so nothing bad could happen."

"What about Sayoko?" Both goddesses looked at Mara. "I mean, she'll be going back to Terra 2 with Kensuke. I don't think he expects his wife to be trashed on their wedding night."

Urd smiled. "Considering they've probably been going at it like rabbits since he came back. I think he could use a night of rest." She looked at her mother. "Alright Mom, we're in."

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About two hours later

Keima walked up behind his father.

"Hey Dad?"

"What?"

"Mom's acting…….weird."

Keiichi looked at his son. "Weird how?"

"She wrapped Lime and me in a hug and started crying about how her babies are growing up."

Keiichi shrugged. "It's your sister's wedding. Of course she's going to be emotional."

"Yeah I understand that." Keima started scratching behind his head. "But she pulled Lime off to the side and started asking about when she can be expecting Grandkids."

Keiichi started coughing. "WHAT!??!"

"Mr. Morisato?"

Keiichi turned around to see Celes the Vampire behind him.

"Yes Ms. Victoria?"

"I think your daughter is drunk."

Keiichi looked over to where the Bride was. She appeared to be happily locking lips with her husband.

"She looks alright to me."

"She's drunk. Believe me."

"And you know this how?"

Celes smiled. "I did spend 60 years as her roommate. And the refreshments have the slight taste of soda in them."

Keiichi and Keima both let out a sigh.

"Soda." Keima muttered, "How did I ever luck out?"

"You take after me." Keiichi said. He then looked around. "Where is your Aunt Urd?"

Keima, Keiichi, and Celes looked about for the missing goddess.

"I found her." Keima said, "She's over there by Aunt Peorth, Mara, and……..Hild?"

Keiichi was there in a second.

"Urd." He hissed, "What have you done?"

"I didn't do it!" Urd said. She then turned and pointed. "It was Mom!"

"Don't worry Keiichi." Hild said, "Just a little harmless fun."

"What is harmless?"

Peorth smiled. "That."

Keiichi turned around to see Belldandy and Sayoko now standing on the platform for the band. Both had microphones.

"You didn't……." Keiichi said.

"You it's hard to believe they have never sung together." Mara said, "All it took was one suggestion."

Any further conversation was ended as Belldandy and Sayoko burst into song.

_Ooh, baby do you know what that's worth?  
Ooh, heaven is a place on earth  
They say in heaven love comes first  
We'll make heaven a place on earth  
Ooh, heaven is a place on earth  
  
When the night falls down  
I wait for you and you come around  
And the world's alive  
With the sound of kids on the street outside_

_When you walk into the room_

_You pull me close and we start to move_

_And we're spinning with the stars above_

_And you lift me up_

_In a wave of love_

Ooh, baby do you know what that's worth?  
Ooh, heaven is a place on earth  
They say in heaven love comes first  
We'll make heaven a place on earth  
Ooh, heaven is a place on earth

_When I feel alone_

_I reach for you and you bring me home_

_When I'm lost at sea_

_I hear your voice and it carries me_

_In this world we're just beginning_

_To understand the miracle of living_

_Baby, I was afraid before_

_I'm not afraid anymore_

_Ooh, baby do you know what that's worth?_

_Ooh, heaven is a place on earth_

_They say in heaven love comes first_

_We'll make heaven a place on earth_

_Ooh, heaven is a place on earth_

_In this world we're just beginning_

_To understand the miracle of living_

_Baby, I was afraid before_

_I'm not afraid anymore_

_Ooh, baby do you know what that's worth?_

_Ooh, heaven is a place on earth_

_They say in heaven love comes first_

_We'll make heaven a place on earth_

_Ooh, heaven is a place on earth_

_Ooh, heaven is a place on earth_

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Terra 2

Hours later

"Poor Kensuke."

Lime looked at Bloodberry curiously.

"What do you mean?"

"It's his wedding night, and his bride had to be carried home after passing out." Bloodberry smiled. "And tomorrow, she is going to have one world class hang over. Bet he wasn't expecting that."

Lime frowned. Bloodberry sighed and leaned over, whispering something in Lime's ear. Lime's face got redder and redder. Bloodberry then sat back.

"THAT is what he expected to do."

"Oh…….my…….."

Bloodberry grinned. "So when you get married, don't disappoint Keima ok?"

"….…o……k……." Lime stood up and walked slowly into her room.

Bloodberry laid back on the floor looking at the ceiling, a giant smile on her face.

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Heaven

Ceres sat at a computer terminal, as did many of the other gods and goddesses in the Yggdrasil control room. All were going through the slow and tedious process of identifying old files to archive. Ceres herself was trying to access a particularly large directory that hadn't been accessed in almost five hundred years. The former Demon turned Goddess was using all of her computing skills trying to open the directory before setting it up for Achieving.

"Get it yet?"

Ceres looked up at Peorth who looked very tired.

"No." Ceres replied, "The encoding on this directory is heavy. It's taken almost six hours to get this far."

With a ding, the directory finally opened. But before Ceres could do anything, her screen flickered, then went blank.

"Program Activated." came a voice over the control room speakers.

Peorth looked at Ceres. "What did you do?"

"I didn't do a thing!" Ceres said, "It activated on it's own!"

"Chronos?"

"She's right ma'am." Chronos' hands flew over her terminal. "The decryption software set it off."

"Can you shut it down?"

"Negative." Chronos said, "I'm locked out."

"So am I." X added.

"I don't like this……." muttered Peorth.

It was at this point the screaming began.

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OMAKE

Gendo Ikari, The Soultaker, and Draco all sat at a table.

"Alright!" shouted Draco, "Bring in the next audition."

Three people entered, a male and two females. The male had gray hair, wore purple robes, glasses, and had a kind of crown on his head. The first woman had blond hair and wore a pair of shorts with a top that had rather large shoulder pads. The second girl had dark hair, a very fair skin, and a purple outfit with large shoulder pads.

Gendo assumed his standard position, head resting on his interlaced fingers, glaring through his glasses.

"And you are?"

"I am Lord Il Palazzo." The man said, "Head of the Secret Ideological Organization known as ACROSS."

The Soultaker frowned. "What is ACROSS?"

"It is the Organization for the Promotion of the Institutionalization of the Supreme Ideological Ideal on Earth."

"Very well." Gendo said, "Why should you be considered for the next Evil Villain in the Neon Genesis Goddess Fic?"

"Because the world is corrupt!" Il Palazzo shouted, "This globe in its entirety must be set aright!"

"CORRUPT!" shouted the blond, sounding a bit like Misato, "OH YEAH! HAIL IL PALAZZO!!!"

Il Palazzo looked over at the woman before looking back at the judges.

"You wouldn't happen to have a pit she could drop into?"

"Only it you wish to join her." Draco said.

"Oh. Very well then."

"How do you intend to conquer the world?" asked Gendo.

"So as not to set the masses against us," Il Palazzo said, "I intend to start small. For example, start of with a nation. But then to avoid overstretching resources, I would go a step beyond. Yes! I intend to begin World Domination by conquering, a city!"

"A city?" the three judges asked.

"CONQUER THE CITY!!" OH YEAH! HAIL IL PALAZZO!!" the blond shouted.

"Hail! Il Pala……." The second woman began before falling over, a trail of blood oozing from her mouth.

"Is she alright?" asked the Soultaker.

"She does that." Il Palazzo replied while the blond started shaking the other woman.

"Come on Hyatt wake up! This doesn't make us look good."

"Do you really expect us to believe you are evil enough to be villains in the next fic?" asked Draco.

"Indeed." Gendo said, "You are the diet of Evil."

"Evil Light." The Soultaker added, "With less carbs then full Evil."

"Ummm Does this mean we get the job?" asked the blond.

"No." Gendo pressed a button, causing the floor to drop out from under the three.

"AUGHHH!!!!' screamed the blond, "Deep hole! Deep hole! Excel cannot find the bottom! AHHHHH Hyatt! Close your mouth!1 Ahhh The blood!! Il Palazzo-sama the blood! There's so much!!!"

The floor closed cutting off the blonds last screams.

"NEXT!" shouted Draco.

A bald man in a white suit entered, a scar trailing down the over his left eye. He was followed in by a 3 foot tall version of himself.

"And you are?" Gendo asked.

"I am Dr. Evil." The man said, "And this is Mini-me………"


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Terra 2

Cherry hurried about the kitchen making breakfast. Bloodberry watched from the bar as she drank her morning sake. Every now and then, Cherry would glare at Bloodberry. Finally Bloodberry through her hands in the air.

"What is it already?!"

"It's too early in the morning to be drinking." Cherry said angrily.

"It's my choice." Bloodberry replied, "So deal with it."

Cherry slammed a pan down on the stove.

"But it's not right! It's not healthy and it's too early in the day to drink!" Cherry pointed at a clock. "It's not even 8am!"

"….And some people are trying to sleep!" came a shout from upstairs.

Cherry sighed and looked towards the stairs.

"Sorry Lime!"

Cherry turned back to the stove and Bloodberry turned back to her drinking. They were joined soon by Keima. He sat down and placed his head on the counter.

"Ohhhh my head." He muttered.

"Hangover?" asked Bloodberry.

"No. I didn't have any alcohol."

"The soda?" asked Cherry.

Keima shook his head, then moaned in pain from the motion.

"No. I don't get drunk off of soda."

"We have aspirin upstairs in the medicine cabinet." Bloodberry said, "Always helps me with my hangovers." Bloodberry then glared at Cherry as she muttered a "Yeah you would know" as she cooked.

"Mortal medicine won't help me." Keima said.

Lime then stomped down the stairs. At each stomp, Keima winced. Lime took a seat next to Keima and glared at Cherry and Bloodberry, before turning to her boyfriend.

"Good Mo…."

"Shhhhh!" Keima winced, covering his head. "Too loud."

"Sorry." Lime then gave Keima a curious look. "I didn't think you were drinking?"

"I wasn't." came the muffled reply.

Cherry sat a plate of food in front of Lime who began to eat. After a few bites, she looked around.

"Where's Yui and Arael?"

"Out." Bloodberry said, "Don't know where, but they left earlier this morning." A low moan returned her attention back to the local deity. "Is he going to be alright?"

Lime rested a hand on Keima and leaned toward his ear.

"Are you going to be ok?" she whispered softly.

"I will once Thor's hammer finishes pounding its way out."

"Maybe you should go back to bed and sleep it off."

Keima sat up. "Yeah, sounds good." He stood up. "Until later ladies." He turned and started off towards the stairs. Halfway there he stumbled and fell to the floor.

"KEIMA!" Lime was instantly by his side, as was Bloodberry.

"I'm fine." Keima muttered. He stood back up and smiled at Lime. "I'm fi…..ne…." His eyes rolled back into his head and he collapsed into Lime's arms.

"Keima?! Keima wake up!"

Bloodberry placed her hand on his forehead. "He's burning up. We have to get him upstairs."

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Several minutes later, after much huffing and puffing, Bloodberry and Lime had finally gotten Keima into his bed. Lime sat besides him gently stroking his head while Bloodberry leaned against the wall.

"Geez……he may not look it but he weighs a ton." Bloodberry then smiled, "Must be all muscle."

"Yeah." came Lime's soft reply.

Cherry came in with a damp cloth.

"Here." She said, "Put this on his head."

Lime took the cloth and placed it on Keima's forehead.

"Can't we give him something?" Lime asked.

"He said mortal medicines wouldn't help." Cherry said softly.

"What about Yui and Arael? Would they know?"

"They aren't here." Cherry said.

"Well maybe we can call them." Bloodberry said.

"How?"

"Well…….." Bloodberry looked around. "Doesn't Keima have that electronic thing, the communicator."

"It's over there." Lime pointed to the device, sitting on a dresser, "But he never showed me how it works."

"Well how hard can it be?" Bloodberry grabbed it and looked at it. "Umm…….."

"What?" asked Cherry.

"I can't read it. It's all a bunch of squiggly lines. Maybe this does something." Bloodberry pressed a button.

"Thank you for pressing the Self-Destruct button. You now have 30 seconds to clear the area."

The three stared in shock at the device.

"Bloodberry," Lime said, "What ever you did, undo it now."

"Uhhh." Bloodberry fiddled with several more buttons. The air above the device shimmered and a game of Tetris appeared.

"You now have 20 seconds to clear the area." The device said.

"Bloodberry…….." Cherry said, slowly backing away.

"ummmmm…….."

"HURRY!!" Lime leaped over the bed and pulled Keima with her down the other side.

"!0 seconds to…..BEEP……You have deactivated the Self-Destruct. Have a nice day."

"WHO THE HELL PUTS A DESTRUCT DEVICE IN A COMMUNICATOR ANYWAY!?!?!" Bloodberry shouted.

Lime poked her head back up from behind the bed.

"Keima did say his Aunt used to make bombs."

"Great." Bloodberry muttered, "So what do we do now? We can't call for help."

"Well," Cherry said, "We can't call them, but we can call for someone else." She turned and started to leave the room.

"Who are you calling?" Lime asked.

"Mom."

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Lorelei pulled the thermometer from Keima's mouth and looked at it.

"He's got a temperature……….I think."

"What do you mean you think?" Lime asked, "Don't you know?"

"Look I've only seen two injured deities, Rei and Mara and both healed on their own." Lorelei sighed. "Lime!"

Lime the marionette peered into the room.

"Yes Lorelei?"

"Go get me another bowl of cold water."

"K!" The marionette vanished.

Lorelei looked back at Keima.

"How long has he been like this?"

"Since this morning." replied the mortal Lime.

"What about the other two?" Lorelei asked. "Are they sick?"

"They've been gone since this morning. I never saw them so I don't know."

The marionette Lime returned with the bowel of water. Lorelei took the bowl and wetted a washcloth before placing it on Keima's forehead.

"Until we get a hold of his mother or someone else in heaven," Lorelei said, "this is the best we can do."

"I just feel so helpless." Lime said, "To see him like this………."

"I know." Lorelei said, "I'm the same way when your father is sick. But we…ACKK."

A hand clamped itself around Lorelei's throat. Lorelei's eyes bulged as her air supply was cut off. Both the mortals and marionette turned their eyes in horror at the person whom the hand belonged too.

"Still feeling helpless?" Keima asked, his eyes glowing red.

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Cherry and Bloodberry sat downstairs at the bar.

"If anyone can help Keima it's Mom." Bloodberry said.

"I know." Cherry said, "I'm just wondering if the others have it."

"Yui and Arael? I don't think they do." Bloodberry shrugged, "They seemed healthy when they……"

A loud scream came from upstairs. Bloodberry and Cherry were on their feet and running up the stairs. As they reached the top of the stairs, something crashed through the door of Keima's room and slammed into the wall across the way. Cherry and Bloodberry stared in shock as their mother slid down the wall to the floor.

"MOM! LORELEI!" Both Limes ran from the room and to Lorelei's side. Cherry and Bloodberry soon joined them.

"What happened?" Bloodberry asked.

"Keima," began Lime, "he's…….."

"….tied of being Mr. Nice God."

Everyone turned to see Keima standing in the doorway of his room, his eyes glowing a bright red. Lime the marionette leaped to her feet and stood in front of the other four. A smile appeared on Keima's face.

"Let's have some fun."

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Dark clouds formed over Japoness. Lightning roared through the sky, slamming into several of the taller buildings. People ran about the streets, trying to avoid the falling debris. The pyrotechnic display in the sky caused many to miss seeing the display coming from a certain apartment.

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Sparks spat out from multiple cracks and tears in the marionettes skin, yet Lime continued to struggle to her feet, trying to protect the four mortals. Keima smiled evilly and formed yet another force bolt.

"I grow tired of you." He said, "You're just not that much fun anymore."

"How much longer can she keep going?" asked Cherry.

"I don't know." Lime said, "She looks ready to fall apart."

Keima tossed the force bolt. It slammed into Lime's (the marionette) shoulder, severing the arm and spinning her about. She then fell to the floor, still emitting sparks. Keima smiled and then looked at the mortals.

"Who's next?"

"Stop this!" Lime (the mortal) stood up and faced Keima. "I thought you loved me! Why are you doing this?"

"A God? Love a mortal?" Keima chuckled, "What nonsense is this?"

Lime felt tears forming in her eyes. "Then what has been happening between us these past months?"

"Ahh but that was before I was awakened to the true calling of the Gods." Keima said, "The complete and utter domination of the mortal world."

"What?!"

As Lime and Keima talked, the marionette Lime slowly began to drag her self towards Lorelei, still trying to protect her.

"Look at yourselves." Keima said, "You still fight each other century after century. Now that will all be put at an end."

"How?"

Keima smiled, "All will submit to the Gods. We will rule the mortal world as we should have a millennia ago." A force bolt appeared in his hand. "Once again, the mortal world will fear the power of the gods, starting here." Keima tossed the force bolt at Lime. Lime closed her eyes and waited for the end. She felt the air crackle with static electricity as the force bolt neared her, but she never felt it hit. She opened her eyes to see an orange hexagonal field surrounding her, her sisters, her mother, and Lime the marionette.

"What the hell?" Keima turned to the side just as a force bolt slammed into him, sending him crashing against the wall.

Lime turned around to see two fully armored figures on the stairs, one with gray hair and the other with red hair, streaming out from under their helmets.

Keima rose to his feet and glared at the two figures.

"How dare you interfere with….."

He never finished.

The red head muttered something before fired off a spell that slammed into Keima. Keima struggled briefly for a moment before his eyes rolled back into his head and he collapsed. The red head moved quickly over to where the mortals were and flipped up the eye shield revealing Yui's face.

"You alright?" she asked.

"Mom's unconscious." Cherry said, "and Lime is………seen better days."

"I'm fine." muttered the marionette, "Help Lorelei."

"I will." Yui said. She then looked over at the unconscious god. "Just give me a second."

Yui walked over to Keima a looked him carefully over. He was laying on his stomach breathing slowly. Using her foot, she nudged him several times before finally rolling him on his back. Keima remained unconscious. Yui quickly muttered a spell. Ropes and other bindings flashed into existence, tying the gods arms and legs together. The bindings gave off a soft blue glow.

"All right Arael you can drop the AT-Field."

The hexagonal shield vanished and Arael walked over to where Yui stood next to Keima.

"Move him into his room." Yui said, "I'll take care of Lorelei."

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About an hour later

Lime, Cherry, Bloodberry, a fully healed Lorelei, Lime (the marionette), Yui, and Arael sat downstairs at a table. Lorelei was working off to the side of the rest, trying to repair as much of Lime as she could.

"What's wrong with him?" Lime (the mortal) finally asked.

"I don't know." Yui said quietly. "And I can't find out either. No one in heaven is answering."

"Can't you just take him up there?" Bloodberry asked.

"Normally I would, but without knowing the full extent of whatever he's got." Yui looked at everyone, "He could infect everyone else."

"We can't just sit here and do nothing." Lime said, "What about Sayoko?"

Yui shook her head. "I tried her already. Nothing. Just like heaven."

"I'll go."

Everyone looked at Arael.

"Why you?" asked Yui.

"I am useless here." Arael said, "You have him under the binding spell, I do not. Also I can go into heaven without using a gate."

"Alright." Yui conceded, "Get up there." She turned and looked at the ceiling where Keima's room was located. "I'd like to know what the hell is going on."

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Heaven

Arael appeared inside the garden just off the main Yggdrasil building. She had only walked a few steps when she heard shouting. From her vantage point, she watched as two gods fought. The fight ended when one of the gods viciously slashed the others throat. Arael was stunned. Such violence against a fellow god was unheard of. Arael waited until the god had moved off before stepping out of the garden and looking around. Smoke billowed from several sections of the heavens as well as from several floors of the Yggdrasil building. Only one thought was going through Arael's mind.

'What the hell is going on around here?'

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Elsewhere in Heaven

Asuka peered around the corner of the building.

"Clear."

From behind her, Shinji ran across the street, diving through the already shattered window of a store. A few seconds later Asuka followed.

"This is ridiculous." Asuka muttered as she peered out into the street. "We're the Guardians of Heaven. We shouldn't have to hide out of sight."

"Asuka," Shinji whispered, "The last three Gods and Goddesses that saw us tried to kill us."

"You forgot about that one God, he tried to help us."

"Yes and they killed him for that." Shinji ducked down as a group of Valkyries ran by the window. "We have to get back to Misato's. Then we can plan this out with the others."

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Minutes later Asuka and Shinji were looking down at Misato's house from a roof across the street. Several Valkyries were wondering about the street, smashing windows and other things that they didn't really care for.

"How do we get by them?" Shinji whispered.

Asuka smiled and held up a small gray box. Shinji's eyes widened.

"Not my SDAT!"

"I'll get you another one." Asuka said. She hit play and tossed it as far up the street as she could. A few seconds later, the strains of 'Ride of the Valkyries' could be heard. Even from the rooftop, they could hear the Valkyries snarl before they ran off towards the offending sound.

"GO!"

Asuka and Shinji leaped from the roof and ran into Misato's house, closing the door behind them. The house was intact, for the most part. Several rocks, bricks, weapons, and other items lay about where they had landed after crashing through the window. The two quickly and quietly moved into the basement, then tapped on a wall. After several moments, a section of the wall moved to reveal Rei in full armor.

"You're late." She said.

"Ran into some friends." Asuka replied as she and Shinji went through the door. Rei took a quick look around before shutting the door.

Long ago, the Heavens had been invaded by an army of demons. Due to events surrounding the invasion, Heaven was conquered and ruled by the demons for about a week. During that time, the souls who had lived in heaven had gone through hell. As a result, the souls decided to take certain precautions, just incase it happened again. As a result, hidden bunkers had been made underneath many homes, most of them connected to the rest, all without the knowledge of the gods. At least, the majority of them.

Asuka and Shinji entered the bunker and were immediately wrapped up in hugs from Yui Ikari and Kyoko Sohryu. Other friends and family began to filter in. They were all soon sitting around a table.

"How does it look up there?" Misato Ryoji asked.

"Bad." Asuka said, "Several areas are still on fire. Including the Yggdrasil building."

"What about the gods?" asked Hikari Suzuhara.

"Still crazy." Shinji said, "We got chased around by several Valkyries for a bit." He sighed. "Then a God stepped out and tried to convince them to stop. They killed him."

"He was the only sane one we saw." Asuka said.

"So it's possible there are others?" Yui asked.

"Maybe," Rei said, "But how do we find them?"

"We'll worry about that in a moment." Asuka said, "There's still a bigger problem."

"Besides rampaging gods?" Kaji Ryoji asked, "What could possibly be worse?"

"Yggdrasil." Asuka said, "We don't know who's running it or what they are doing to it."

"So when do we go?" asked Touji.

"'We' are not going anywhere." Asuka said, "It will be just Rei and me."

"WHAT?!" shouted Shinji and Touji together.

"Look," Asuka said, "Rei and I are the smallest compared to you two, we'll be harder to see sneaking around. Also, if we all go, who is going to protect everyone here? Hmm?"

Shinji started to raise his hand to argue, but then dropped it.

"Alright." He said.

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Arael looked carefully over railing into the main foyer of the Yggdrasil building. Somewhere further below, something was burning. The smoke drifted up from the lower floors and created a dark haze high up in the ceiling. Loud shouts echoed throughout the foyer.

Arael turned away from the balcony and headed towards the office of Belldandy.

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Asuka and Rei peered around the corner up the street at the main Yggdrasil building, the doors of which lay just fifty yards away. A large group of Valkyries stood in a circle, watching another Valkyrie sword fighting with a goddess.

"Can't go in the main entrance." Rei muttered, "Too many eyes."

"Yeah." Asuka looked up at the building. A row of windows caught her eye. "I think I know of a way in. Come on."

With a puff of smoke, Asuka shrank down to only a foot tall. Rei stared at the Mini-Asuka, raising an eyebrow.

"Well?" Mini-Asuka said.

Rei shrugged and soon was the same size as Mini-Asuka. Both were soon flying up towards the row of windows.

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Arael entered the short hallway that led to Belldandy's office, stopping for a second to view the surroundings. Four paintings had once graced the walls leading to the office, one for each of the Norns. Three of the paintings now lay in tatters on the floor. The fourth, the picture of Belldandy, had been shredded a bit, but one could still plainly see the moustache and beard put over the goddesses face.

Arael quickly moved to the office door, noting that the secretary's desk beside it was empty. She forced the door open and hurried into the office, shutting the door behind her. When she turned around to actually look at the office, she was visibly shaken. Everything in the office had been tossed about. Books, pictures, papers all lay scattered about the office. The desk itself had been overturned. But that was not what had shaken her the most. In one corner was a large block of ice, or what appeared to be ice. From within, Belldandy stared out. On the ground just behind Belldandy lay her assistant Cayla, looking battered and bruised.

Arael tried to reach out and mentally contact Belldandy, hoping the Goddess was someone still awake, but her calls went unanswered. Arael sat down on the floor next to the block of ice, wondering what to do next.

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Mini-Asuka and Mini-Rei landed on the narrow ledge just outside the window. From there, they could look out over the garden and the rest of Heaven. If not for the smoke, it would have been a beautiful sight. Mini-Rei looked carefully in the window.

"I don't see anyone." Mini-Rei said softly.

 Mini-Asuka brought up and armored fist. It began to glue a bright blue before she punched the window, shattering the pane. Both entered through the broken pane. They found themselves in Kami-sama's office. The office itself was empty. With a flash, both Guardians returned to full size.

"Where do you think he is?" Rei asked.

"I don't know." Asuka ran over to the desk and flipped up Kami-sama's terminal. "All access to Yggdrasil has been cut off." Asuka sat down in Kami-sama's chair and looked at Rei. "Main Control is the only place where we can access it."

"But can we get to it?" asked Rei.

"I don't know." muttered Asuka, "I just don't know."

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Yggdrasil Control

Two figures sat in the now silent and dark control room, one at SysOp control, the other at an Admin terminal. In the center, the three spindles of Yggdrasil slowly rotated.

"Anything?" asked the figure at the SysOp terminal.

"No." the other replied, "It's still disagreeing."

"Damn."

A loud thud echoed throughout the chamber.

"They're trying the doors again."

"Yeah yeah." The figure at the SysOp terminal sighed. "Let the basterds try."

A light began to flash on the SysOp terminal. The figure glanced at it.

"Someone's trying to access the system from Kami-sama's office." The figure entered several commands. The screen flashed to show a view of Kami-sama's office. Two figures, one with red hair, the other with blue, were bent over the terminal.

"The Guardians."

"What are they….." another light flashed on the terminal. "Another one?" The screen flickered to show a gray hair figure trying to access a secretary's terminal. "Arael too?"

"Apparently."

"We should greet them."

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	14. Chapter 13

Yggdrasil Control

Two figures sat in the now silent and dark control room, one at SysOp control, the other at an Admin terminal. In the center, the three spindles of Yggdrasil slowly rotated.

"Anything?" asked the figure at the SysOp terminal.

"No." the other replied, "It's still disagreeing."

"Damn."

A loud thud echoed throughout the chamber.

"They're trying the doors again."

"Yeah yeah." The figure at the SysOp terminal sighed. "Let the basterds try."

A light began to flash on the SysOp terminal. The figure glanced at it.

"Someone's trying to access the system from Kami-sama's office." The figure entered several commands. The screen flashed to show a view of Kami-sama's office. Two figures, one with red hair, the other with blue, were bent over the terminal.

"The Guardians."

"What are they….." another light flashed on the terminal. "Another one?" The screen flickered to show a gray hair figure trying to access a secretary's terminal. "Arael too?"

"Apparently."

"We should greet them."

Chapter 13

Arael had left Belldandy's office and was now trying to access Yggdrasil from the secretary's terminal. It just didn't feel right to try and access Belldandy's terminal while she and Cayla were there, frozen. Unfortunately, Arael couldn't access the main system, all the firewalls had slammed shut, locking off the main from the rest.

"Damn." muttered Arael.

She was about to move on when she noticed a curious thing. A glow from below.  A circle of light had appeared beneath her. Before she could do anything, she dropped through the circle. The circle then vanished, leaving the corridor dark once again.

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"So?"

"I can't access it Asuka." Rei said, sitting back from Kami-sama's terminal.

"Shiest." Asuka swore. She then stood upright. "Well, then we have to get into the main control room."

"How are we going to do that?" asked Rei, "We're twenty levels up from the control room."

A grin appeared on Asuka's face.

"We could access the top of Yggdrasil and slid down the poles, that would get us there quickly."

Rei stared wide eyed at Asuka. "Are you crazy? It's not allowed!"

"Desperate times……." Asuka started towards the door when she noticed a glow below her. Asuka stepped quickly off to the side, but the glow followed, expanding into a circle.

"Ahh!" Rei's cry echoed throughout the room before it was abruptly cut off.

"Rei!" Asuka shouted, trying to avoid the circle. The circle rapidly expanded, even as Asuka moved further backward.

"Wait…." muttered Asuka, "What am I thinking."

Asuka pushed off the ground and floated a foot in the air. She turned around to see Rei had vanished, a circle expanding by Kami-sama's desk as well.

"Shiest." muttered Asuka. Then her view of the office got hazy. The circle had compressed itself right below her, then a force field had risen up, trapping her. Unable to struggle against it, Asuka was pulled downward into the circle. Seconds later, Kami-sama's office was empty again.

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Asuka tumbled across the floor in darkness as the exit gate spat her out. She was on her feet in a second, looking around her.

"Where the hell am I?" she shouted.

"Yggdrasil Control." came a voice.

Asuka recognized it right away.

"Urd?"

Several emergency lights came on. Asuka was immediately able to see Urd, as well as Ceres, Rei, and …….Arael?

"What are you doing here?" Asuka asked the Angel.

"I came up here when we were unable to contact the heavens." Arael turned and looked at Urd. "Keima is acting unusual. But then………it seems everyone else is here as well."

"No kidding." Urd sat down at the SysOp terminal. Every couple minutes, a loud pounding echoed throughout the facility as someone or something pounded against the main door.

"What did happen?" Asuka asked, "Everyone was alright, and then they were attacking us."

"It happened when we were Archiving old files." Ceres said, "I found an old directory. As soon as it was opened, a Virus Program activated."

"Every single 4th and 3rd class god or goddess that was in here began to scream in pain," Urd said, "holding their heads in pain. We called the infirmary, but they were already overwhelmed with cases. Within hours, the 2nd class gods and goddesses fell victim, then the 1st classes." Urd shook her head. "Then they started to wake up, eyes glowing red, and attacked everything that moved. Even each other if they felt like it. Ceres and I closed off the control room and have been here ever since."

"Where's Kami-sama?" Arael asked.

"We don't know."

"Why have you and Ceres not been infected?" asked Rei.

Urd shrugged, "Don't know that either."

"There were a few others." Asuka said, "But they were killed trying to help us." Asuka then looked at Yggdrasil. "It is running right?"

"Yeah." Urd said, "For the most part."

"What do you mean?"

"We still have most of the system under our control. But this virus, it's made Yggdrasil think that it's a part of the main system." Urd typed away at the terminal. "No matter how many times we tell it that the program is a virus, Yggdrasil disagrees."

"So what do we do?" asked Rei.

Urd tapped at the terminal with her hand.

"We have to eliminate the virus."

"We've been trying that though." Ceres said, "And we've failed at it."

"We try a different approach." Urd stood up. "We have to take a closer look at this virus."

"But Yggdrasil won't let us."

"So we find a different computer." Urd said.

"There is no way Hell is going to let you use their computer." Asuka said, "They wouldn't risk their system."

"So we use a mortal one." Urd said. She looked over at Asuka and Rei. "Lorelei Maimya deals with computer systems doesn't she?"

"Yeah." Asuka asked.

"So we go to her for help."

"But can we leave?" Ceres asked, "Who's going to watch Yggdrasil? What if someone breaks in after we're gone?"

Urd hit a button on the SysOp terminal.

"Yggdrasil Identify, Urd, Goddess First Class, Unlimited, Norn of the Past."

"Identity Confirmed." came the computerized reply.

"Yggdrasil," Urd continued, "Lock out all Users and Operators. Lock out Skuld, Goddess First Class Unlimited, Norn of Future, and Belldandy, Goddess Class 0, Norn of present. Authorization Urd, Norn of past."

"Lock outs confirmed. All access denied until further notice."

Urd turned and looked at the others.

"No one will be able to access Yggdrasil now." Urd said, "Not till I give the code to unlock it."

"I thought Lady Belldandy and Skuld could….." began Ceres.

"Normally yes. Another Norn could." Urd smiled, "Hence the lock out on them as well."

"Belldandy is a block of Ice in her office." Arael said, "Along with her assistant. What could she do?"

Asuka looked at Urd curiously. "Who could freeze Belldandy? And what happened to Skuld?"

Urd sighed. "The Computer Genius hacked into the security programs. Skuld sent the other Guardians, the white angel like ones, after Belldandy." Noticing the alarm on the others faces, Urd continued. "I shut down that program. But because of the situation, I couldn't unfreeze them."

"Why not?" Rei said, "They could help."

"Because this……virus didn't stop with the First Classes. It also hit the council. Belldandy is one of the more powerful Class 0s. I'm not going to risk it." Urd looked around. "So what are we waiting around for? There's a virus to eliminate."

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Terra 2

Late afternoon

"RELEASE ME!"

Yui, Cherry, Bloodberry, Lime the Marionette, and Lorelei all looked up towards the ceiling.

"Can't you knock him out again?" asked Bloodberry.

"I could try, but it might weaken the binding spell." Yui replied, "And we do not want to weaken that binding spell."

"RELEASE ME!" came the shout again.

"Can you at least do something to quiet him down?" Bloodberry asked.

Yui shrugged and waved her hand. Almost immediately, Keima's yells quieted down.

Bloodberry sighed. "Much better."

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Keima hissed as he struggled to free himself.

'How dare they!' he thought, 'I am a god of the first rank!'

He flexed his muscles again. The straps that bound him creaked slightly, but did not break. His body sagged and he let out a sigh.

'There must be someway to get……..'

Soft footsteps broke him from his thoughts. He glanced over to see Lime (the mortal) standing in the doorway. Her eyes, red from crying, stared at him. He stared back with his own eyes, now red. A thought passed through his mind. He looked at her, staring deep into her eyes.

"Hello Lime." He said.

"Keima." She replied softly, "What's wrong with you?"

Keima gave her a soft smile.

"My headache was pretty bad. I guess the pain caused me to say some really nasty things."

Lime took a few steps forward.

"So you're better?"

Keima nodded. "Yes my love."

Lime stood up.

"I'll go get Yui to release you then."

"NO!" Keima shouted. He then calmed down before he continued, still staring into her eyes. "You don't need to get Yui. You can free me."

Lime looked at Keima curiously.

"How?"

"Come closer."

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Yui frowned.

"Something's not right."

Everyone looked at Yui.

"What do you mean?" asked Cherry.

"Something doesn't feel right." Yui said.

"Nothing has been right all day." muttered Bloodberry.

Lorelei frowned. Now that Yui had said something, she also felt something was wrong. Suddenly it hit her.

"Do any of you hear anything?" Lorelei asked.

There was a chorus of "No"s around the room.

"Exactly."

Cherry shrugged.

"Maybe he went to sleep."

"Where's Lime?" Lorelei asked.

Yui's eyes suddenly went wide.

"Keima!"

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"Yes……that's it…….release my bonds." Keima said as Lime moved closer. "Free me."

Lime moved towards Keima as if possessed.

"Now release me." Keima said.

"Lime." Keima turned and looked towards the doorway. Yui stood there.

"Move away from him Lime." Yui said softly.

"Ignore her Lime." Keima said, his eyes meeting Lime's once again. "Release me."

Lime's hand reached out towards the straps that bound Keima.

"LIME NO!" shouted Yui. She lunged at Lime. Just as Yui slammed into her, Lime's hand touched the bonds. Keima was on his feet in an instant.

"Thank you my Love." He said. He then formed a force bolt and sent it hurtling at Yui and Lime.

Yui grabbed Lime and vanished, the force bolt ripping through the space that they had just vacated. They reappeared just outside the room.

"What happened?" Cherry asked, "What is it?"

"Round two." Lime (the marionette) said as she spotted Keima stepping out of his room. She immediately assumed a fighting stance.

"You could not defeat me before." Keima said, facing off against the marionette. "What make you think you can win now?" He smiled at Yui. "And where is your precious Angel friend? Powerful you may be, but you still have limits."

"That's where we come in." came a new voice. A force bolt slammed into Keima's stomach.

Keima found himself flying through the air, crashing hard into the wall. Lime (the mortal) blinked and looked around.

"Wha…..what happened?" Lime's eyes widened as she spotted Arael as well a 4 additional people now in the room.

"MOM!" shouted Yui. "Did you have to hit him that hard?!"

"What!? He's got a thick head." Asuka pointed at Keima who was rising to his feet. "See!"

"Enough of this." muttered Urd. She pulled out her staff and leveled it at Keima. "Sorry kid."

Keima started to charge. Lightning from Urd's staff slammed into Keima, who was rapidly covered in ice. Soon Keima was frozen. Lime walked up and looked in, seeing Keima's red eyes peering back at her.

"Is he……?"

"He's fine." Urd said, "We'll thaw him out after we figure this all out."

"Figure out what?" Cherry asked, "Why he went nuts?"

"No it's not his fault." Asuka said.

"Who's fault is it then?"

"This." Urd held up an object.

"A disk?" asked Lorelei.

"Well no. It's what on the disk." Urd replied. "There's a virus that has infected everyone in heaven, excluding a few people."

"Wait." Yui said, "If you're here, who's running Yggdrasil?"

"I have it locked down. Only a Norn can access it and I've locked out Skuld and Belldandy." Urd then looked at Lorelei. "We need access to the most powerful computer on this planet."

"How powerful do you need?" Lorelei asked.

Urd thought a moment.

"Something on par with the Old Magi will do."

Lorelei winced. "Then we have a problem. All the computers on the planet are below the Magi."

"What?!"

"You have to remember," Lorelei said, "the original six people on this planet were stuck here because of an advance computer. The Mesopotamia had the most advance computer around here until it finally burned up in the atmosphere. Then came the Gartlant City computer, but that was destroyed during the war."

Urd moaned. "Oh man…….."

"The closest thing we have to a Magi would probably be a Marionette. But even then, the Magi would be more powerful."

Urd sighed. "So we're screwed."

"Hey wait a second." Everyone looked at Asuka. "You need a Magi like computer right?"

"Yeah."

"So lets go to Earth!"

"But I haven't been to Earth in centuries!" Urd said, "I don't know where to look now."

"I have a few ideas." Lorelei said, "Though I am 300 years out of date."

"Alright then. You, me, Asuka, and Arael will go. Rei, Ceres, and Yui will stay here to make sure Keima behaves."

"Ummm." Lorelei looked over at Lime (the marionette). "She'll have to come too."

"Why?"

"Because she promised Otaru she'd protect me."

Urd threw her hands up in the air. "Alright!! Lime came come too. Now can we go?!"

"Wait." Rei spoke up, "Sayoko visited Earth regularly and Celes lived there."

Urd's eyes widened.

"Oh shit." She muttered. "Sayoko."

Everyone looked at her confused. Urd ignored them and looked at Ceres.

"I didn't lock out Sayoko."

Ceres eyes widened.

"But……she and Aida are on their honeymoon. We don't know where she is!!" Ceres said, "Or if she's even infected."

"No we don't where she is." Urd said. "But Celes would."

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Minutes later, Urd, Lorelei, Lime, Asuka, and Arael appeared outside of the home of Kensuke and Sayoko Aida , and Celes Victoria. The sunlight was fading fast, the only other elimination seemed to be coming from the front of the house. As they walked closer, they could hear the faint strains of music as well as spot a figure sitting outside on the front porch. But it was not who they were expecting.

"Kensuke?" Asuka asked. "What the hell are you still doing here?"

Kensuke leaned back in his chair as he sighed.

"Thanks to certain people, who shall remain nameless," He glared at Urd who seemed to shrink down a bit. "Sayoko woke up this morning with a world class hangover and headache."

"Headache?" Lorelei, Lime, and Arael all said together.

There was a bright flash as Asuka changed into her battle outfit.

"Where is she?" Asuka said in a no nonsense tone.

Kensuke blinked at the sudden change.

"What the hell is wrong with….."

Urd silenced him with a look.

"Where is she Ken?"

"She's been in bed, trying to sleep off the hangover."

Asuka raced past Kensuke into the house. Kensuke watched, then turned back to Urd.

"What the hell is going on?"

"Well….." Urd looked over at the other three.

"It's sort of like this Mr. Aida……….." Lorelei began.

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Upon entering the house, Asuka slowed down and took a moment to look around. The music they had heard outside was much louder now, and coming from the living room. Asuka floated off the ground and moved towards the sound. Peering into the living room, she found the Vampire laying on the couch with her eyes closed. Asuka listened to the music a second.

You used to captivate me  
By your resonating light  
Now I'm bound by the life you left behind  
Your face it haunts  
My once pleasant dreams  
Your voice it chased away  
All the sanity in me  
  
These wounds won't seem to heal  
This pain is just too real  
There's just too much that time cannot erase

Asuka let out a sigh as she recognize the familiar Evanescence song from what had become known as 'Sayoko's unhappy music CD'. Sayoko had made the CD within months of losing Kensuke, and whenever she was feeling particularly down she'd play it. It had the side-effect of depressing everyone else around her. Apparently Celes hadn't had her fill of it yet.

Asuka moved past the living room and up the stairs toward the bedrooms. She peered into the first room she came to, and from the large four poster bed coffin, determined it to be Celes' room. Asuka moved down the hall and opened the next bedroom door. Light spilled into the darkened room, revealing a figure curled up on the bed.

Asuka entered the room and pulled out her staff. She then floated over the floor, not making a sound, until she was beside the bed. She reached over and grabbed the figure, rolling it face up.

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"They're all crazy?" Kensuke asked, shocked.

"Not exactly." Urd said, "The virus is just…….. causing them act more aggressive then usual."

"And you think Sayoko's infected?" Kensuke asked.

"We don't know." Urd said softly, "But Keima is, that means it's……"

Urd was cut off by loud screams from inside the house. A second later, the house was rocked by an explosion.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OMAKE

Asuka and Shinji sit in front of a TV smiling towards a studio audience.

Asuka puts on a huge smile. "Hi there! Asuka and Shinji here to perform a special test!"

"That's right Asuka." Shinji says, "All throughout the Eva series, I commented how much LCL tasted like blood."

"So we decided to test out Shinji's theory." The TV next to Asuka turns on to show an image of a kitchen.

"We have set up hidden camera's inside the kitchen of Kensuke and Sayoko Aida. Not for them, but for their roommate Celes Victoria."

"That's right." Asuka said, "We've replaced Celes' normal packs of blood with LCL. Of course we had to dye it red, otherwise she'd notice the LCL's usual color of orange. Let's see if she notices."

Celes Victoria walks into view humming a song. She heads straight towards the 'blood' fridge and pulls out a pack of blood and pulls the small tab from the end of the tube. She starts slurping it down. She almost halfway through the packet when Asuka shouts out.

"Hey Celes!"

Celes jumps and looks around.

"What the hell?"

"Does that blood taste any different?"

Celes, still looking around the kitchen, replies. "No. Why?"

"Because we replaced it with dyed LCL. It's tastes just as good as whole blood with half the hemoglobin. What do you think?"

Celes pales, grabs her mouth and runs off towards the bathroom. Asuka and Shinji turn back towards the audience.

"And there you have it." Shinji says, "LCL does taste like blood!"

Asuka continues to smile. "Tune in next time when we replace Misato's beer with a non-alcoholic substitute."

Sounds of gagging can be heard coming from the TV.


	15. Chapter 14

"They're all crazy?" Kensuke asked, shocked.

"Not exactly." Urd said, "The virus is just…….. causing them act more aggressive then usual."

"And you think Sayoko's infected?" Kensuke asked.

"We don't know." Urd said softly, "But Keima is, that means it's……"

Urd was cut off by loud screams from inside the house. A second later, the house was rocked by an explosion.

Chapter 14

Before the sound of the explosion had even ended, Urd and Kensuke were running into the house. They towards the stairs past a startled Celes.

"What the bloody hell is going on?!"

The two ignored the vampire and ran up the stairs. By the time they had reached the top, yelling could be heard.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING ASUKA!?!?!"

"MIEN GOTT!! I'M SORRY!!! I THOUGHT YOU WERE EVIL!!"

"EVIL!?!?!? I'LL SHOW YOU EVIL!!!"

Another explosion rocked the house. Urd reached out to open the bedroom door, her staff out, when the door was opened from the inside, revealing a very unhappy Goddess. Sayoko's blue eyes burned with fury. Urd recoiled slightly.

"Ummmm…..Hello?" Urd said softly.

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Sayoko stared at her Aunt.

"Everyone?"

"Everyone." Urd said.

Sayoko was shocked. "What about my parents? Auntie Skuld? Keima?"

"Keiichi is hiding out with Megumi somewhere." Urd glanced at Asuka. "Asuka and Shinji saw him but she won't say where he is. Your mother was frozen in magical ice with Cayla in her office by Skuld. I haven't seen Skuld since."

"Keima is being held at the Maimya Apartment under the watch of Yui, Rei, and Ceres." Arael said, "He was also infected."

Sayoko looked up wide-eyed. "Are there any others on the surface?"

"No." Urd said, "You and Keima were the only ones on the surface. And there will be no one else coming down either. All the gates are closed. The only way in and out of heaven is by teleporting with either the Guardians or Arael."

"So what do we do?"

"We have the virus on a disk. We're going to use a mortal computer to try and counter act the virus." Urd glanced over at Lorelei. "Lorelei here is going to help us."

"Lorelei is three hundred years out of date on Earth computers." Sayoko said.

"Yeah but she is an excellent programmer." Urd crossed her arms. "Why? You know a better programmer?"

"I do." Sayoko pointed at herself. "Me."

Urd frowned. "You've never worked on Yggdrasil. You've always been in the GRO or the T2O."

"You forgot who raised me. Skuld taught me a lot about computers. I also know who to talk to about Super Computers on Earth. I'm coming with you." Sayoko started to stand up. She just as quickly sat back down, letting out a soft moan. Kensuke was right next to her in a second.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I feel woozy." She muttered.

"The hangover?"

Sayoko shook her head. "I made some of Urd's famous Hangover Potion. Besides, it's been over a day now."

Urd frowned. "You used the potion?"

Sayoko nodded. "Yeah."

"And you still feel sick?"

"Yeah."

Urd stood up and walked over to Sayoko. She then pressed a hand against Sayoko's stomach and closed her eyes.

"HEY!" shouted Sayoko

"URD! WHAT ARE YOU…..?" began Asuka.

"SHHH!" Urd shouted. She then concentrated. Seconds later, she opened her eyes and a smile appeared on her face. "I'll be………" She wrapped Sayoko up in a hug. "You little…."

"Urd." Kensuke said, "Do you mind clueing the rest of us in?"

"Yeah!" Asuka added, "What's going on?"

Urd ignored them and looked right at Sayoko.

"You've been feeling weak lately? Like you don't enough power to cast spells and such?"

Sayoko frowned. "Yeah. How'd you know? I hadn't told anyone."

Urd grabbed Sayoko's hand and moved it onto her niece's stomach. Sayoko looked at Urd curiously.

"Just open your senses."

Sayoko looked at her Aunt dubiously, but complied. Seconds later, a stunned looked appeared on the Goddess' face.

"No way." She muttered softly.

Urd just smiled.

"What is it Yoko?" Kensuke asked.

Sayoko turned and stared at Kensuke for a moment before jumping at him. Kensuke landed hard on the floor, Sayoko on top of him. She immediately began to pound her fists on his chest.

"You did this!" she shouted, "It's your fault!

"What did I do?!" Kensuke shouted trying to block Sayoko's punches.

"It's not all his fault." Urd said, "After all it takes two to tango."

Asuka, Lorelei, and Celes all blinked.

"Sayoko's pregnant?" Asuka asked.

"Well they have been going at it like rabbits." Celes muttered.

Kensuke smiled and wrapped his arms around a still fuming Sayoko.

"Even though it's unexpected," he said, "I'm happy."

Sayoko let out a little humph, before burying her face into Kensuke's chest and wrapping her arms around him.

"Guess that means you stay here when we go to Earth." Urd said.

Sayoko immediately turned and looked up at her Aunt.

"No. I'm still coming."

"But….." began Kensuke. Sayoko cut him off.

"They need access to major computing power." Sayoko said, "I know of only one person who can help them do that. They won't trust anyone else but me. I must go."

Kensuke crossed his arms. "Fine. But Celes so going with you."

"What?"

"Well I can't go." Kensuke said, "You told me yourself, once I decided on Terra 2 I could never go back. And there's no way I'm going to let you just wonder around Earth alone."

"I'll hardly be alone. Urd, Lorelei, Lime, and Arael will be there."

"As well as Celes."

Sayoko scowled and looked at Celes.

"You have anything to add?"

Celes shrugged. "Aida does have a point."

"Fine. You can come." Sayoko looked at Kensuke. "You happy?"

"Yes."

"Back to the original subject," Lorelei said, "Who do you know on Earth who has access to a super computer?"

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Earth

Neo-Tokyo (formerly Toyko-2/3)

The Suzuhara Apartment.

The sound of the door bell echoed throughout the apartment.

"I GOT IT!" shouted a young 10 year old Shinji Suzuhara. He raced to the door and pulled it open. Standing before the door were seven figures, all in hooded cloaks.

"Uhhhh Hi!" he said.

"We need to see Touji Suzuhara." One of the figures said in a soft female voice.

"Suzuhara?!?" said one of the other figures, also a female, "Why would we…….?" She was cut off by a look from the first woman. She then turned back to Shinji.

"We really need to see your father Shinji."

"How'd you know my name?" Shinji asked.

The woman pulled back her hood, revealing her face. Shinji blinked. She looked just like the pictures he had seen of Sayoko Morisato, the Fifth Child, in history class. The woman smiled.

"I know your name because your father tells me all about you and your sister Aya every year near Christmas."

Shinji looked at the woman curiously. He then remembered that every year, his father went out to the Memorial Church to meet someone. This past year he had gone with and his father had told him who he met with.

"Are you really 545 years old?" he asked.

The woman blushed heavily as some of the others with her chuckled.

"Don't you know it's not polite to ask a woman her age?" she said, "Now please get your father."

Shinji turned and ran to his father's office.

"Dad! Dad! That woman is here! The one you meet at the church every year!"

"What?!" Touji Suzuhara the third stood up and stared at his son. "Where is she? Did you let her in?"

"She's at the door."

"YOU DIDN'T LET HER IN?!?!?!" Touji was on his feet and headed towards the front door. "Kira! We have guests!"

Touji rounded the corner of the hallway and spotted Sayoko still standing outside the doorway along with six other people.

"Megami-sama." Touji said, bowing slightly, "Please enter. Your are most welcome in my home."

Sayoko gave a small frown. "Touji, I thought I told you to knock that off." She then smiled. "Thank you all the same."

"What brings you here?" he asked as he lead the way into his apartment towards his office.

"There's been a incident in the heavens. We need access to a Super Computer."

Touji scratched his head as he walked into his office.

"That's going to be hard." He said, "PILOT is even more heavily guarded then the NORN or MAGI ever were.

"PILOT?" asked one of the others.

Touji stared at the figures. "I'm sorry. Have we met?"

"Sorry about that." Sayoko said, "Touji Suzuhara the Third, You remember Celes Victoria? Good. This is my Aunt Urd, Lorelei Maimya, Lime, Arael, and last but not least, Asuka Ikari."

Touji blinked. "The Second child?"

Asuka smiled. "None other."

"Is she 500 years old too?" came a voice from the hallway.

"SHINJI!" shouted Touji.

"Sorry Dad."

Touji sighed, "Sorry about that. Shinji's been curious about Sayoko-sama ever since Christmas."

"Shinji?" Asuka said, "You named him Shinji?"

Touji nodded. "You'd be surprised how many Shinjis, Asukas, Reis, Toujis, and Sayokos are running around these days. Of course, none of the girls can compare to the originals in beauty."

Sayoko and Asuka blushed.

"I like him better then our stooge." Asuka said turning towards Sayoko. "Can we swap them?"

"No."

"Damn." Asuka turned back to Touji, "Alright back to the topic. What is PILOT?"

"About 200 years ago," began Touji, "Neo-Tokyo grew larger then what the NORN system could handle. A new, more powerful system was developed. Instead of three cores, PILOT contains five, each named for an Eva pilot."

"Great." muttered Asuka, "Now I'm a computer."

"As the NORN system was created by the famous Doctor Akagi," continued Touji, "It was moved in its entirety into the Japan Museum of History, the Angel Wars wing, where it now runs the entire museum."

"It still works?" asked Sayoko.

Touji nodded. "….and of the available super computers, it is the most easily accessible."

"It will do." Urd said, "How soon can we go?"

Touji glanced at a clock on his desk.

"It'll be night soon. The Museum will be closed up. We can go then."

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Two Hours later.

Thunder rumbled over head as the rain poured down in heavy sheets.

"I'm sorry about that." Touji said as they walked down the street.

"It's alright." Celes said, "Really….I didn't mind it."

"Still…I'm sorry. I'd forgotten Buffy the Vampire Slayer was on. The kids love that show for some reason."

"I said don't worry about it."

Further back.

"Why the hell are we walking around anyway?" Asuka muttered, "We could just teleport and be there just as quick."

"Yes. You could." Sayoko replied, "I can't."

"What?"

Sayoko glanced around to make sure the others were occupied, then faced Asuka.

"I had Arael teleport me." Sayoko said, "Being……you know, I don't have the kind of power needed to do that."

"So what happens if we get attacked?"

"I'm not that weak." muttered Sayoko, "I can still defend myself."

Thunder rumbled overhead.

"This weather sucks." Asuka said, "I think I preferred the constant heat of Tokyo-3."

"Why do you think I had everyone put on the hooded cloaks?"

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He watched silently as the group passed by below him. He had waited a long time for this. He didn't care that he couldn't sense one of them, nor did he care that that four of them felt different from other humans. All that mattered was her.

Celes Victoria

He would face her again.

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"Wow."

Lorelei looked up and up at the large entry hall of the Japan History Museum.

"It's not that impressive." Asuka said, "I mean the Main Corridor of the Yggdrasil building is twice this size. Hell, the Eva Hangers were bigger then this."

"Right." Touji started walking off. "This way."

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"Welcome to the Angel Wars wing." A recorded voice announced. "This entire wing is dedicated to the War which occurred in the Year 2015."

On one side of the entrance was a statue of Unit 01. On the other, the Third Angel. Arael paused a second to look at her lost brother.

"You think Otaru, Faust and you will be in here?" Lime asked, looking at Lorelei.

"No Lime." Lorelei said, "This is Earth. They still think the Mesopotamia was lost with no survivors."

"Oh."

"HEY!" came a shout further up the hallway. "THAT'S MY PLUGSUIT!!!"

"So it is." came Sayoko's reply, "Looks like your type D suit."

"WHAT?!?" shouted Asuka.

"Well it's that or they picked a fat mannequin."

"FAT?!? ME?!?! Oooo You just wait. In a couple of months you'll see fat!"

"WHAT!??!"

"You heard me! Or did you forget about your 'condition'?"

"AAAAAAHHHHHH!!! I'M GONNA BE FAT!!!!!! NO FAIR!!!!!"

"What are they talking about?" Lime asked.

"Sayoko's pregnant." Lorelei said.

"Pregnant? What's that?"

'Oh boy……'

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Touji led the group into a large chamber. The chamber was dark, the few lights within only strong enough to provide enough elimination within a few feet of them. Ahead of the group, a screen glowed softly among three large box like units. The NORN Super Computer. Touji headed straight towards it. The others followed.

Once Touji reached the screen, he pressed lightly on a panel just below it, popping out a keyboard. He immediately began to enter a series of commands. Asuka walked up to Sayoko who was staring at the nameplate on one of the NORN. Asuka looked at the nameplate.

It said simply: Verdandi.

"You know the last time we stood next to this thing," Asuka said, "we got sent to the past."

"I know." Sayoko said.

"What are you two mumbling about?" Touji asked from where he stood typing on the panel.

"Just talking about some old memories." Sayoko replied.

"Oh. Well this should job a few." Touji entered a final command.

All over the room, lights began to blink on, lighting up the chamber. In particular, lighting up two objects standing against the wall behind the NORN.

Evangelions Units 02 and 03.

"Momma?" Asuka whispered, staring at the Eva.

Arael stared at the Evas and shivered slightly. Celes could only stare, her mouth wide open.

"Do they work?" asked Urd.

"No." Touji replied, entering more commands into the computer. "They're basically just Armor and bone now."

Urd stepped up next to Touji.

"Will this work for our purposes?"

"For the most part." Touji replied. He then stood of to the side. "It's all yours."

"Cool. Comon Lorelei."

Sayoko glanced at her watch then looked at Urd.

"How long is this going to take Urd?"

"I don't know. Why?"

"I'm going to wonder around a bit. Show Arael some Mortal History besides the Angel Wars."

Urd shrugged. "I don't see why not. I'll call you when we're ready."

Sayoko nodded, turned, and started to walk out, Arael beside her. Celes quick ran to catch up.

"Kensuke said to stay right beside you." Celes said to Sayoko's unasked question.

Asuka sighed and sat down on a bench, looking up at the massive red Eva. Lime was soon beside her.

"Ummmm."

Asuka looked over at Lime.

"What?"

"You aren't…..still……mad at us are you?"

Asuka frowned. "Mad about what?"

"Well you used to call me and the others 'Dolls' like you were mad at us."

"Oh." Asuka sighed and looked back at Unit 02. "Things happened to me in the past. That…" Asuka pointed at Unit-02. "….was the cause of a lot of pain in my life, as well as a lot of happiness."

Lime frowned. "How could something bring pain and happiness at the same time?"

"Pain because I lost my mother to it." Asuka said, "Happiness because it brought Shinji and me together."

"How did you get together?"

"Well…….it all started on an Aircraft carrier."

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Sayoko, Celes, and Arael wondered through the hallways of the museum, past room after room of history. Arael suddenly stopped at a doorway. Sayoko and Celes continued further down the hallway till they realized Arael had stopped. They walked back to see what had fascinated Arael so much.

"What is it…" began Sayoko before she peered into the room, "…..Ohhhhhh."

Inside the room was display case after display case of artifacts. Hundreds of them. Sayoko looked up at the name of the room.

'Religion through the ages'.

Sayoko raised an eyebrow and looked at Celes. Celes shrugged. Sayoko then looked over at Arael who was now looking at an Ancient Babylonian Statue.

"We're going on ahead Arael."

Arael just nodded, still staring at the statue.

Sayoko started back down the hallway.

"Why didn't you want to go in there?" Celes asked, "It looked interesting."

Sayoko glanced at the Vampire.

"I'm a goddess remember. I saw enough of that on a daily basis for almost five hundred years." Suddenly Sayoko's face lit up. "Ooooo they have a Car collection! Comon!"

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He still remained in the shadows. From there, he could hear every word that was said. But that did not matter.

Only she mattered.

Then she walked off in the company of two others, two of the ones who felt different then normal humans. He followed silently behind them. Then one went off into a different room, now it was only two.

Two was perfectly fine with him.

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"SWEET!!" Sayoko shouted as she looked at the car. "A '57 Chevy!!"

Celes raised an eyebrow at her friend.

"What is so special about a car?"

"Are you kidding?!? It's a classic!" Sayoko was practically bouncing up and down. "Dad would just freak if he could see this."

Celes rolled her eyes. "I don't see what's so special about painted metal and……." Celes blinked. She saw movement in the chrome of the car. At first she thought it was Arael joining them, but then she saw a flash as light bounced off an object.

The object was a cross.

"LOOK OUT!!!" Celes screamed, shoving Sayoko out of the way.

Several loud thunks echoed throughout the room. Sayoko landed hard on the floor, then rolled and looked back at Celes. Celes' face was one of pain. Four silver blades pinned her to the side of the car.

"The Abomination and the Heretic. We meet again."

Sayoko spun around. Standing in the doorway was a figure, his glasses and cross reflecting the light just enough to give them a soft glow. In a flash, two blades appeared in his hands.

"And now you shall meet the maker." Father Alexander Anderson said as he moved towards Sayoko. "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen."


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"How does an idiot end up with access to a super computer?"

Touji Suzuhara the Third turned around and stared at the Second Child.

"What?!"

Asuka crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I want to know how an idiot named Touji Suzuhara could get access to a super computer."

Urd leaned over and whispered into Touji's ear.

"Don't worry about her. She's like this all the time."

"Right." Looking back at Asuka, Touji replied. "Look lady. I don't have a clue where the hell you've been getting your information, but let's set something straight. I earned through hard work the job of programmer on the PILOT system. I get access to the NORN because the two systems are so closely related. You came to me for help, so that obviously states that I am good enough for you. So don't give me this idiot crap." He then turned around and continued working on the NORN.

Asuka sat silently, staring at the back of Touji. She then huffed and walked off to another area of the exhibit.

'Must be Hikari's genes coming through.'

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Sayoko slowly began to back up as Father Anderson approached.

"What?" he said, "Nothing to say? You had a lot to say before. Maybe it's because you were in a position of strength? Where is your power? Where are you friends?"

Sayoko stopped backing up and raised her arms. A ball of energy formed between them.

"Back off Father." She said, "I'm warning you."

Anderson laughed and continued to walk towards the Goddess.

"You asked for it!" Sayoko held her hands out. The force bolt shot out about two feet in front of Sayoko before it literally fizzled out. Both the Priest and Goddess stared at the space where the force bolt had vanished. Sayoko quickly created another bolt and tossed it at the Priest. This one fizzled before it left her hand. Sayoko looked nervously at the Priest.

"I don't suppose we could just sit down and talk this all out?" she asked.

Anderson charged at her, his blades swinging.

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" '….and Bardiel will come on swift wings from the east, searching the children out. But they will not know him, for like the wolf he will hide within the flock. Bardiel's rise will force child to face child, brother to face brother, lover to face lover. Should Bardiel fall, another will rise to…….' "

Arael stood in front of a large glass case. Held within was a large piece of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Arael found it somewhat unnerving that mortal hands had written down the events tat wouldn't take place for another 2,000 years. She was just about to see what the texts had to say when she felt something. She frowned. It felt far to weak to be a god…….and yet……..

Arael turned about and headed out of the exhibit, heading in the last known direction of Sayoko and Celes.

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Asuka turned around and looked off towards the direction that the others had walked off to.

"What is it?" asked Lime.

"I thought I felt something." Asuka said.

"Felt what?" asked Urd from where she was working.

"Don't know. Whatever it was, it's gone now."

Urd shrugged. "You are near your old Eva. That's probably effecting your senses a bit. Don't worry about it."

Asuka nodded at Urd, but looked back one more time.

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Sayoko struggled in the grip of Anderson. He had penetrated her shields, mostly due to the fact she was barely able to raise it. How she dangled from his hold on her neck. She had tried to pry open his fingers, failing to do that she pounded her fists on him. Her vision was reddening and fading, his laughter echoing in her ears.

'I don't want to die I don't want to die I don't want to die.' She repeated over and over in her head.

"SAYOKO!!"

Suddenly the pressure was gone. Sayoko sucked in a huge breath of air, nearly choking on it. Something cold pressed against her neck and she heard the priest say something, but her mind was unable to process it as she was still feeling lightheaded.

'Why can't I see?' she thought as another voice spoke from further away.

'OPEN YOUR EYES YOU FOOL!' came another voice from the past.

Sayoko opened her eyes. The Priest had an arm wrapped around her, one of his blades at her neck. In the entrance to the exhibit stood Arael. Sayoko had no idea what the Priest and Arael were saying, but she could kinda guess. And with her in the Priest's grip, Arael would be very reluctant to act for fear of hitting Sayoko.

'But the Priest must be stopped.' She thought. She knew what had to be done. Her eyes met Arael's…….

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"You heard me Heathen!" Anderson shouted, "Back away or I'll cut this pretty ones neck."

"How do I know you will not do it anyway?" Arael asked.

Anderson smiled.

Arael looked over at Celes. The Vampire was still pinned to the car by the holy blades and in obvious pain. She couldn't call for help from the others for it would arrive too late. Arael looked at Sayoko. Cuts on her body showed where the Goddess had tried to fend off the Priest unsuccessfully. She had been limp in his hand when Arael had finally arrived, but appeared to be slowly regaining consciousness. It was then that Sayoko's eyes focused direct on Arael.

"You remember the first time we met?" Sayoko asked softly, "You, me, Asuka?"

"Silence you!" Anderson shouted at his captive.

Arael blinked. 'What is she……?'

"We were having a good conversation until Rei interrupted us." Sayoko continued, still staring Arael in the eye. "I think we should continue that conversation."

"Shut-up!" shouted the Priest, pressing the blade a bit harder into Sayoko's neck, drawing blood.

'She doesn't mean……' Arael thought, but one look at the Goddess showed she was serious. Very serious.

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"Shut-up!" Anderson shouted at the Goddess. He pressed his blade against her neck and was rewarded with the sight of blood.

"So…….The Heathen bleeds." He said, "You're mortal after all. You shall pay for trying to put yourself above our Lord, Heathen." He turned his head to look back at the 'supposed Angel' when he was engulfed in bright white light.

"You're Heathen tricks won't work this time!" he shouted, just before his mind was assaulted by memories.

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"Auntie Megumi? When will Poppa and Momma come home?"

"I don't know Yoko. Your Auntie Skuld and Urd went to heaven to find out."

"It's all your fault my brother's dead! Yours and Kami-sama's! You took my brother away! I'll never forgive you!"

" 'To Sayoko, Goddess 1st Class Unlimited. Your license is hereby suspended for 2 months for abuse of your goddess powers. Take that time to think about what you have done. Kami-sama.' "

"Just what the hell do you think your doing!??!"

"I…..I….I….I didn't…I wouldn't….." "It was and accident."

"An accident?!?! Grabbing her ass was an accident?!?!"

"You will regret that. When I am done with you, the Kami-sama himself will cast you from the heavens!"

"Arise Lucy! Arise and take your place by my side!"

"I'm sorry ma'am. He…..he's missing, presumed dead."

Bad memory after bad memory assaulted Sayoko's mind, the accumulation of 500 years of bad times slammed into her all at once. All she could do was scream.

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"Even with your little human friends you're still and evil, corrupted monster."

"Well now……You must be the Hellsing family's pet Abomination."

"You're from Iscariot. I see."

"Iscariot was ridding the world of sacrilegious monsters such as yourself, centuries before the Hellsing family ever existed."

"You defile this place."

"I purify this house! So that filthy creatures can't use their cheap black magic! Our mission is to punish any heretic that would deny the word of God. We will crush your unholy body and salt the earth with your dust. Amen."

Memories assaulted Father Anderson as well.

"You will not do this to me again." Anderson muttered, "My past has made me what I am. I am the instrument of God. Messenger of the divine punishment of heaven. I will not fear my past. Fear is the mind-killer. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain"

Anderson focused. Through the haze of memories he saw the shape of the Angel, and threw his blade at it.

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Celes struggled to pull herself from were she was pinned to the car, but the blades were buried deep into the metal and with every struggle, her wounds burned more and more painfully. From her position, she could see both Sayoko and Anderson trapped within the light of Arael. Sayoko's eyes were clenched shut and she screamed as memory after memory assaulted her mind. Arael herself was crying as she watched her friend writhe in pain.

Anderson however……… He was not breaking down as he had before. Suddenly his eyes popped open and seemed to focus on Arael. The sword he had been holding at Sayoko's neck flew through the air as the Priest tossed it. Arael had barely enough time to gasp and break off her attack, trying to bring up her AT-Field. She wasn't fast enough. The blade slammed home into Arael's chest, emitting a few sparks as it entered her. Arael let out a cry before falling backwards to the floor.

With Arael's light gone, Sayoko collapsed to the floor unconscious. Anderson fell to his knees, breathing heavily. He then looked up at Celes with a grin.

"Now Abomination." He said, "Where were we?" He pulled out a blade and approached Celes. "Oh yes……I believe I was about to send you to hell."

Anderson swung the blade, intending to remove Celes' head. Celes  closed her eyes, waiting for the end.

But it did not come.

A gun roared from the shadows, shattering Anderson's blade just before it would have sliced into Celes neck.

"What?!?!" shouted Anderson. He turned towards the direction the shot had come from. Celes followed his line of site to see a large black gun hovering just out of the shadows, the hand that carried it covered in a white glove, vanishing within a red sleeve.

"Master?!" Celes shouted out.

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Asuka lay on a bench in the Angel War exhibit hall, listening as Urd, Lorelei, and Touji muttered to each other about the best way to read the disk. Asuka let out a sigh and continued to stare out through the skylights in the ceiling. The rain had stopped, and the clouds had cleared enough to let Moon be seen. A nice big full moon…….turning red for some reason…….red?

Asuka sat up and was about to called out to Urd when she was hit by a wave of cold, dark, evil. Urd must have felt it too because she immediately stopped talking and turned around to look at Asuka. Before either could say anything, red light shined down from the sky light. Far above in the sky, a red pentagram appeared within a circle containing writing and ancient glyphs.

"Oh hell!" muttered Urd. She turned and started towards the corridor.

"What's going on!?!" Asuka asked.

"I think Celes' sire just showed up."

Asuka frowned. Lorelei, Touji, and Lime looked at each other before looking back at Urd.

"Her what?"

"The person that made her what she is." Urd growled.

"Oh….." replied Asuka. Then she realized what Urd said. "WHAT!!?!?!"

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The arm moved out of the shadows, followed closely behind by the red clad form of the Vampire Arucard.

"It has been a long time Judas Priest." Arucard said with a smile. He lowered his yellow sunglasses slightly, allowing his red eyes to see the Priest clearly. "Shall we reacquaint ourselves?"

Father Anderson snarled and crossed his blades before his face, glaring at Arucard.

"I shall purify thee with a single blow monster!" Anderson shouted.

"Try it Catholic Dog!"

Anderson let out a shout as he charged Arucard. The vampire followed the Priest and fired off a shot from his massive black gun. Anderson dodged the shot and swung his blade in an effort to remove the vampires head. Arucard ducked and fired another shot. The bullet slammed into Anderson, leaving a massive hole in his chest and sending him flying across the room. He slamming into the wall, cracking the plaster behind him. He was back on his feet in an instant and hurried out of the room.

"Oh no you don't!" Arucard shouted, "I've waited too long for this for you to ruin my fun!" He started after the Priest.

"Master?"

Arucard stopped and looked at Celes, noting her……..predicament.

"Stick around Police Girl." He said with a smile, "I won't be long." He turned and left the room.

Celes stared at the doorway her Master had just gone through with a stunned look on her face.

"Stick around?!?!" she shouted, "Where the bloody hell am I going to go? I'm pinned to the bloody auto! AND DON'T CALL ME POLICE GIRL!!!"

"Ok…I won't."

Celes turned to see Asuka standing in the doorway, Urd right behind her. Urd immediately flew over to Sayoko while Asuka went to Arael's side. She pulled the blade out.

"How is she?" Celes asked.

"Looks like the blade scrapped along her core." Asuka said. She placed her hand over the wound and healed it. "She should be up in a bit."

"What about her?" Celes asked, nodding towards Sayoko.

"She's out of it." Urd said. "Let's worry about you for now."

Urd stood up and walked over to Celes. Asuka joined her and soon both were grunting in effort as they struggled to free Celes.

Over on the floor, Sayoko shifted slightly, he eyelids twitching ever so slightly.

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Music drifted throughout the empty hall. On stage, Sayoko sat at a piano, her eyes closed as she played.

"You seem to think about the most strangest places." came a voice.

Sayoko kept her eyes closed and continued to play as she responded.

"Would you rather be sitting in a train car taking laps around Tokyo-3?" Sayoko asked.

The Soultaker sighed. "You've been hanging around that Ikari boy too much. I assume you know why you're here?"

Sayoko nodded as she played. "Arael's attack on Anderson overloaded my mind."

"And you're ok with this?"

"I told her too." Sayoko replied, "It was my choice. I am not mad with her."

The Soultaker grumbled in disappointment. She walked over and sat down beside the Goddess.

"Why are you playing piano anyway? I thought you played the flute."

Sayoko glanced at the Soultaker from the corner of her eye.

"I do play flute. But also piano."

"What is this place anyway?"

"It's the auditorium from Tokyo-2 High School." Sayoko said, "I played the piano here for a recital."

The room suddenly grew cold. Sayoko stopped playing the piano and went stiff, as did the Soultaker.

"You feel that?" Sayoko asked quietly.

The Soultaker nodded. "It's a Nosferatu."

Sayoko frowned and looked at the Soultaker. "Celes doesn't feel anything like that."

"Celes is still a weak low level Nosferatu. This is a High level one." The Soultaker turned and looked at Sayoko. "Like the one that sired Celes."

Sayoko let out a sigh. "Arucard. Guess it's time I woke up. Someone needs to save the Priest."

The Soultaker's eyes narrowed. "Why would you wish to save someone who wants you dead?"

"For the same reason I'm still talking to you after everything you did to me." Sayoko said, "I can forgive."

"That is what makes you Gods weak."

"No. That is what makes us strong." Sayoko stood up and started to walk away. She stopped and glanced back at the demon, still sitting at the piano. "What is your name?"

The Soultaker turned around and stared at Sayoko. "What?"

"I know your name isn't Soultaker. What is it?"

Soultaker tapped out a note on the piano. "Soultaker was the title given to me when it was discovered I had the power to consume souls. The name brought such fear that I stopped answering to my real name." She turned and looked at the goddess. "My real name isn't that threatening."

"Will you tell me?"

The Soultaker turned around and started to play the piano. "Maybe later."

Sayoko nodded and vanished, leaving the Soultaker alone on stage.

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Asuka pulled the last blade out, free Celes who collapsed to the floor.

"Thanks." Celes said.

"No problem." Asuka replied as she placed a hand on the first of Celes many wounds.

Urd stood up and sighed, glancing at Arael, then glancing over at………

"HEY! When did Sayoko leave?"

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Arucard entered the large exhibit hall. Like the Angel War hall, it was huge. Airplanes from the past 600 years hung from the ceiling as well as sat upon the floor and on various platforms towards the ceiling. Arucard wasn't interested in these machines however.

He was hunting a Catholic Rat in Priests clothes.

"Come now Priest!" he shouted out, "We haven't seen each other in 500 years and this is how you greet me? You run! Like the coward you are!"

Something slammed into the wall just next to Arucard's head. He turned to see one of the Priest's blades stuck there, still vibrating from it's flight. Without turning he lifted his gun and fired off several shots. The bullets slammed into an old fighter, a Supermarine Spitfire, knocking it off it's wheels to the floor with a loud crash.

"Rather violent aren't you."

Arucard turned and brought his gun to bare on person who had just spoken to him, only there was no one there. Or was there? He squinted his eyes slightly to see the faint outline of a woman, one of the ones who had been laying on the floor in the room with the Police Girl.

"Who are you and what do you want?" he asked, taking aim.

The woman frowned. "Point your gun elsewhere Arucard or you'll find your arm missing."

Arucard smiled. "Aren't you a feisty one. Much like my Master."

"Sir Integra Hellsing I am not," the woman said, "I am the Goddess Sayoko. I would ask you to spare the Priest Anderson."

Arucard laughed, "A Goddess? Oh this is too funny! The Priest put you up to this didn't he?"

"If there can be beings of Evil such as yourself, why not beings of Good such as I?"

Arucard didn't have an answer for that. "Why do you want me to spare his life? He has caused my Master much grief in her life. The blood of hundreds of innocents is on his hands."

"….. there is as much blood, if not more, on yours………Count."

Arucard's eyes widened slightly.

"Yes…..I know of your past." Sayoko said, her eyes narrowing, "Castle and territory gone, all of your servants killed. Everything held dear to your black heart gone, all because of one man."

"Then you know that I am bound to my Master." He held up a glove adorned with the encircled pentagram. "I must obey her orders. The Priest must die."

Sayoko sighed, but nodded. "Then that is that. I will not interfere." She vanished from his sight completely.

'You've been hanging around interesting people Police Girl.' Arucard thought, 'Now……where is that regenerating cockroach?'

Arucard walked further into the exhibit, looking carefully at both aircraft and shadow, trying to spot a tell tail sign of his target. A loud twang then reached his ears, followed by another. Arucard looked up to see an airplane, a Douglas DC-3, plunging downward nose first towards him from its previous position of the gallery. Arucard smiled.

"This is going to be fun." He said as the plane slammed into him. With the shriek of metal, the old plane bent and collapsed on top of the Vampire. After the dust and noise had settled, the Priest dropped down from his location and looked upon his work. The plane was no longer recognizable as such. Now it was simply a pile of wreckage.

"Ashes to ashes….." Anderson said, "Dust to dust."

He walked towards the pile of wreckage with his blades out and kicked a few of the smaller pieces of debris out of the way. Red blood oozed out from the location of Arucard's body. Anderson let a smile appear on his face before plunging his blades deep into the pile. More blood spilled out onto the floor. Several minutes and several more blades later, Anderson stepped out of the pool of blood that now encompassed most of the wreckage.

"At last." Anderson said softly, "I have ridden the world of the foul creature."

"Have you now?"

Anderson turned and narrowed his eyes. Sitting on a nearby bench was the heathen self-proclaimed goddess.

"What do you want heathen?"

Sayoko smiled. "You believe that Vampire dead? I find that somehow amusing."

Anderson snarled and pulled out two new blades. "You won't be finding it amusing when I plunge my blade into your heathen heart!"

Sayoko sighed. "You seriously have your priorities wrong. You haven't yet finished the Vampire and now you are seeking to fight me yet again."

"That monster is dead!"

"You really think dropping an Airplane on him will kill him? Come on, you've removed his head and he recovered! Face it Father, you didn't kill him." Sayoko glanced over at the pile of wreckage. "And now it's about to come back and bite you in the ass." She vanished with a flash.

"Invocation of Cromwell Confirmed."

Anderson whirled about upon hearing Arucard's voice, yet the vampire was not behind him. Nor was the blood on the floor or in the wreckage.

"Levels three, two, and one released."

"SHOW YOURSELF MONSTER!" Anderson screamed looking around.

"Releasing restraint control." Arucard's voice echoed through out the room, now taking on a red glow. "Activating limited disengagement of ability protection until target is completely silenced."

Bats suddenly flew about Anderson. He swiped at them with his blades.

"Filthy vermin! Away from me!"

"Vermin?" came Arucard's voice. The bats flew away from Anderson and gathered together to form a figure dressed all in black. The figure looked up, revealing himself to be Arucard.

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From the entryway, Urd, Asuka, Celes, and a pale looking Arael watched as the bats gathered around and formed into Arucard.

"Neat trick." Asuka said quietly, "Why can't you do that?"

"I'm a low level Vampire." Celes replied, "Arucard is a true 'No Life King'"

"Everytime we have faced each other I have only used a fraction of my abilities." Arucard said, speaking to Anderson. "I shall now educate you on the full extent of my abilities!" Arucard held his hands out in front of his face. All over his body, red eyes opened up, focused on Anderson.

Asuka's mouth dropped. "What the ………"

"Behold the power of the Nosferatu." Sayoko said, appearing beside them. "Behold the 'No Life King' Arucard in all his Dark Glory."


	17. Chapter 16

I tried to kill the pain  
but only brought more  
I lay dying  
and I'm pouring crimson regret and betrayal  
I'm dying, praying, bleeding and screaming  
am I too lost to be saved  
am I too lost?  
  
my God my tourniquet  
return to me salvation  
my God my tourniquet  
return to me salvation  
  
do you remember me  
lost for so long  
will you be on the other side  
or will you forget me  
I'm dying, praying, bleeding and screaming  
am I too lost to be saved  
am I too lost?  
  
my God my tourniquet  
return to me salvation  
my God my tourniquet  
return to me salvation   
  
my God my tourniquet  
return to me salvation  
my God my tourniquet  
return to me salvation  
  
my wounds cry for the grave  
my soul cries for deliverance  
will I be denied Christ  
tourniquet  
my suicide

Evanescence - Tourniquet

Chapter 16

The entire room shuddered as something heavy slammed into the floor in one of the other exhibit halls. Touji looked up above, watching as several suspended objects rocked. Lorelei and Lime were also looking about the room. Touji let out a sigh and rested his head against the computer.

"Sayoko-sama, what is going on over there?" he muttered.

"Sounds like they collapsed an entire….." Lime started to say before Lorelei covered her mouth.

"Shush, Lime." Lorelei said, "I'm sure they can handle it."

"Yeah. I hope so." Touji replied. He then glanced at the screen. "Looks like it's ready." He looked at the other two. "Urd-sama leave the disk?"

Lorelei held up the object in question and placed it into the Norn terminal. Within seconds the data it contained flew across the screen. However there was one problem, it was in the God's language.

"Great." muttered Lorelei, "We can't even read it."

Touji looked at it curiously before typing several commands into the terminal.

"Maybe we can. After all, all language has a basis somewhere." Touji looked at the others. "Maybe we can translate it."

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Father Anderson stared in shock at the demon before him. Dozens of eyes stared back at him from the vampires body. The Priest had fought many of these demonic monsters over the years, never had he seen one do this. Back at the entrance, he could see the Heathen Goddess, as well as the other monster and the 'Angel'. Two other women he didn't recognize were also standing there.  One, a red head, seemed to be staring at Arucard in shock.

"I have the will of God on my side!" Anderson shouted.  He flung his arms out. Hundreds of prayer papers flew towards the walls, each held there by a blade. "I will defeat you, monster!"

Arucard smiled. Each of the prayer papers ignited into flames. "We shall see, Human."

One of Arucard's arms morphed, transforming into a dog's head, a head that had six eyes. Anderson's eyes widened slightly.

"Mother of God……" he muttered softly.

"God is no longer on your side!" Arucard shouted, "Tonight you meet the Devil!" The dog's head growled and flew towards Anderson. The father dodged the head and brought his blade down, slicing it off. The head hit the floor of the hall, and splattered into a puddle of blood. Immediately the blood oozed its way back and rejoined Arucard.

"What kind of monster are you?!?!" Anderson shouted.

"The kind that will end your pitiful existence!" Arucard roared.

The entire room went dark until all Anderson could see was the outline of Arucard in front of him and the doorway where the women stood. Suddenly Arucard's outline seemed to explode and vanish. Eyes appeared all around Anderson, following his every move. The sound of paws padding around on the ground reached his ears. Anderson turned about, but saw nothing but the eyes. Something growled off to his right. He whirled about and caught sight of gleaming white fangs before they vanished.

"The Lord is my Shepherd, " Anderson muttered. "He lets me rest in fields of green grass, and leads me to quiet pools of fresh water."

Something growled behind him. Anderson swiped at the darkness with his blade, but hit nothing.

"…..Even if I go through the deepest darkness, I will not be afraid, Lord, for you are with me." Anderson swiped at the darkness. "Your shepherd's rod and staff protect me."

There was a sudden tug on his left arm. Anderson turned to swipe at it when he realized something: his left arm was no longer there. Another growl. Anderson turned about, swiping madly at the darkness with his remaining blade. With a growl, a dog leaped out of the darkness, it's six eyes burning red. With a snap, Anderson's remaining arm was removed. The dog then vanished into the dark. Anderson stared for a moment at the spot where his arm had been. He then turned slowly and met the eyes of the Heathen Goddess.

"……I put my hope in him." Anderson said quietly, "He alone protects and saves me; he is my defender, and I shall never be defeated."

A loud roar caused Anderson to turn to his right. He saw teeth, then nothing.

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Asuka turned around and looked like she was about to be violently ill. Even Celes, who had seen Arucard do some pretty horrific things, looked sick. Sayoko and Urd's faces remained blank as the Vampire approached them.

"The Target has been silenced." Arucard muttered softly.

Urd stared at him for a moment before turning on her heel and walking away. Asuka and Arael both followed, not even glancing at the Vampire.

"Well, Goddess? Aren't you angry?" Arucard said with a slight smirk. "I killed your Priest."

Sayoko remained silent.

Seeing the Goddess was not going to be much fun, Arucard looked at his fledgling.

"I would like to speak with you, Police Girl." He glanced over at Sayoko. "Alone."

Celes looked back at Sayoko before nervously turning to face her Master.

"No, Master," Celes said. "Anything you have to say can be said in front of her."

"You know she is a Holy Creature? The total opposite of what we are?" Seeing Celes nod, he continued. "Yet you still wish for her to be present?"

"Yes, Master."

Arucard glanced at the Goddess for a moment, then turned back to Celes.

"You know that we have a connection," He said. "We are linked by the bond that was formed the day I turned you."

"Yes, Master."

"It is time for that bond to be broken," Arucard said. "You have survived on your own for several hundred years, thus, you no longer require my presence and have not required my presence." He held out his arm and moved the sleeve back to reveal his bare skin. "It is time for you to drink my blood, and receive your full heritage and power."

Celes looked wide-eyed at Arucard, then looked back at Sayoko.

"Don't look at me," Sayoko said softly. "It's your choice. Not mine."

Celes turned and looked back at Arucard before stepping towards him. Then, with her fangs bared, she bent forward and bit into his arm. His blood ran down from the puncture marks, before dripping to the floor. Sayoko closed her eyes and turned around. She heard Celes gasp slightly, and soon felt a second dark presence as Celes' new powers took hold.

Arucard lowered his arm.

"You are now a true Nosferatu," Arucard said. "My equal."

"Yes Master."

"I am no longer your Master, Police Girl." Arucard turned and began to walk away. He stopped for a moment and faced her again. "Take care, Celes Victoria." He then vanished into the shadows.

Celes watched the shadow a moment longer before looking back at Sayoko.

"Are you mad at me?" Celes asked.

Sayoko opened her eyes. "I already told you once before that you were an abomination. Nothing has changed that." Sayoko smiled. "But you're still my friend."

"But I'm evil."

Sayoko sighed. "No, Celes. You aren't evil. You have never been evil."

"But I can feel it," Celes said. "I can feel the darkness within me."

"But would you act on that darkness?"

"No!" Celes practically shouted.

"Everyone has a bit of darkness in them," Sayoko said. "Even the gods. Look at Mara. She's a demon, yet she hasn't done anything bad in over 5 centuries. Even in the Dark, light can be found." Sayoko grabbed Celes' arm. "Now come on. We still have a virus to sort out."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sayoko and Celes reentered the Angel War exhibit to find Urd, Lorelei and Touji deep in conversation. Urd noticed Sayoko and immediately waved her over.

"You're not going to believe this," Urd said.

"What?" asked Sayoko.

"Touji and Lorelei ran the virus through the computer here," Urd said. "We know who made the virus."

"Who?"

"Our old friend Loki."

"LOKI!?!?" Sayoko shouted. She then frowned. "But he's dead! Isn't he?"

"No one has ever survived being hit by Gungir," Urd said. "No, this was something in his private files area."

"How'd it get out?"

"The Archiving must have activated it," Urd replied. "At least we now know why we weren't infected."

"Why not?" asked Lorelei. "And who is Loki?"

"Loki was a Norse God on the Heavenly Council who really disliked half-breed Gods," Sayoko said. "He felt it weakened the gods as a whole. He also thought that the mortals here on earth were out of control and wished to bring order to them by ruling them."

"He made this virus five hundred years ago that stripped all the Gods of their powers," Urd added. "Then attacked Heaven with an Army of Demons as well as five Evas. Heaven fell. But he neglected to do something when he made his virus."

"He was so hooked on the Purity of the Gods," Sayoko continued, "that his virus only stripped the powers of Pure Gods. Half-breeds and converted Demons still had their powers."

"My Mother is the Queen of Hell," Urd said. "Sayoko's father was a mortal, so we weren't infected."

"Wait a second." Lorelei held up her hand. "If that's so, why did Keima get infected? He's her brother."

"Dad was no longer a mortal when Keima was conceived," Sayoko said. "He was technically a spirit, and Keima was conceived in heaven, so he's 100% pure God." Sayoko then looked at Urd. "So can we get rid of the virus?"

Urd scanned over the information on the virus.

"I don't know," She replied. "Loki designed this to look like it belong in the system."

Lorelei looked up. "What if we made a virus along similar lines as this one that reversed everything?"

"Yeah," added Touji. "It shouldn't be too hard to modify the virus to do that."

Urd nodded. "It's worth a shot. Besides……this is the easy part."

"Easy part? What's the hard part?"

"Heaven is currently being held by 'Mad' Gods," Sayoko said. "In order to get this program into Yggdrasil, we still have to get by them."

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Terra 2

Lime (the mortal) sat across from Kensuke, looking over her cards carefully. Rei and Yui sat on either side of them while Ceres watched.

"Any threes?" asked Lime.

"Go fish," replied Rei.

Lime let out a curse and pulled out another card from the pile. Over at the bar, Bloodberry and Cherry watched them.

"Is that all they're going to do?" Bloodberry asked. "Play 'Go Fish'?"

"They did want to play something else," Cherry muttered quietly.

"Oh, really? What was that?"

"Strip Poker."

Bloodberry coughed. "WHAT!?!? Who came up with that?!? Mr. Aida?"

Cherry shook her head. "It was Ms. Ikari."

Bloodberry turned her head and stared at the blue haired Guardian.

"It's always the quiet ones."

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Earth

Neo-Tokyo (formerly Tokyo-2/3)

"There!" Urd pulled out the disk and held it up. "The God Restoration Disk Mk. 1!"

Sayoko looked over at Asuka.

"Very Auntie Skuld-like."

"Very," agreed Asuka. "Does Skuld know you rip off her ideas?"

"Oh, shut up," Urd said.  She glanced over at Lorelei, Lime (the marionette) and Celes. "Ready to go?"

"Yes," The three said together.

"Don't suppose you could fix the damage in the other wing before you go?" Touji asked. "It'll be kinda hard to explain."

Urd sighed and muttered a spell. She then looked at Touji. "Happy?"

"Yes." Touji turned and walked up to Sayoko. "See you next Christmas?"

Sayoko smiled and nodded.

"Of course," She said. "And I might have someone other then Celes next time."

"Right." Touji glanced over at Celes. "You take care of her."

"Of course I will," Celes replied.

Touji stepped backward as Arael closed her eyes in concentration. With a flash, the 7 women vanished.

"Good luck," Touji whispered softly.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Terra 2

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" shouted Lime. "NOT AGAIN!!"

The game of 'Go Fish' had now become a game of 'Old Maid'. Unfortunately, Lime wasn't very good at it. Rei just smiled as she reshuffled the cards.

"Let's see…..That's the 8th time you've been the old maid."

Lime glared at Rei. "At least I have someone!"

Rei's smile vanished as she leaped to her feet. Yui and Ceres quickly moved between the two.

"Easy!" Kensuke said. "We're all friends here."

"She didn't mean it, Auntie Rei," Yui said. "Calm down."

Rei continued to glare at Lime before finally allowing her niece to sit her back down. Almost immediately she was back on her feet as Sayoko, Asuka, Urd, Arael, Celes, Lorelei and the Marionette Lime reappeared.

"Well?" asked Yui.

Urd held up a disk. "We have a solution! Now for the hard part: getting this disk into Yggdrasil and loading it."

"So lets go!"

"No," Asuka said. "You, Rei and Ceres are staying put."

"WHAT!??! WHY!?!?"

"Keima is still here. If he gets loose…….. Besides: You're still grounded."

"Alright, alright…." Yui sighed. "I never get to have fun."

"What about Sayoko?" Kensuke asked.  
  
Sayoko frowned. "What about me?"

"Well, you're….."

"What's that got to do with anything!?!"

"He's right, Sayoko," Celes said softly. "Anderson almost got you."

Sayoko sighed and closed her eyes.

"I know he did. But I still have to go with." She turned and looked at Kensuke. "Yggdrasil will only respond to Urd or myself. I have to go."

Kensuke stared at her a moment longer before nodding.

"Fine. But Celes goes with you."

Sayoko glanced over at Celes.

"You think you can handle a trip upstairs?" she asked.

"Is it alright?" Celes asked nervously. "I mean….I'm…..you know….."

Sayoko shrugged. "I don't think anyone will mind. And if they do…" A smile appeared on the goddess' face. "I'll tell them to talk to Grandpa."

"Right!" Urd said. "Now that that is settled, let's get to Yggdrasil. The sooner the virus is gone, the sooner things can get back to normal around here."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Upstairs in his room, Keima stared out from his Icy prison. His eyes burned red with hate and anger. His mind raced through plan after plan for freeing himself.

Eventually, he would figure a way out.

And then he would have his revenge.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Heaven

Urd, Sayoko, Asuka, Celes and Arael appeared within the garden next to the Yggdrasil building. The skies were black from both smoke and cloud cover.

"Lovely," muttered Sayoko. "Love what they've done with the place."

"Dammit," muttered Asuka. "I was hoping to get us inside the building."

"Not your fault," Urd said. "Yggdrasil was set up to keep people from teleporting in." She glanced back at Arael. "Mostly because of Arael and her friends' sudden appearance."

"Well, let's go." Sayoko started towards the main building but stopped when Celes grabbed her arm.

"Wait," She said softly. "There's something watching us."

The others looked around.

"I don't see anything," Asuka said.

"Me either," added Urd.

"She's right," Arael said. "Someone is watching us."

Sayoko let out a sigh. "Great. As if it wasn't bad enough, now we have a mad stalker."

"Mad Killer Stalker." Sayoko looked over at Celes who was peering into a bush. She walked over to see what Celes was looking at. She immediately turned away and fell to her knees, extremely pale and feeling very ill.

"What?" asked Urd. She walked over as well. "Oh….my…..goddess…."

Asuka walked over and looked into the bush. Just barely hidden by the branches was the body of a god. It had been brutally cut in two at the waist, his insides oozing out into the ground. The face was one of extreme agony. It appeared that the God had tried to push his organs back inside during his last moments.

"What could cause…….?" Asuka asked.

"Looks like an Ax," Celes said.

"How can you tell?" Sayoko asked from where she was kneeling on the ground.

"One time while hunting Ghouls I ran out of ammo," Celes said. "There was a fire ax handy, and……"

"Ok, ok. I get the picture." Sayoko stood up and started walking towards the Main Building. "Remind me to never ask you about…….."

"LOOK OUT!!!!"

Sayoko felt something slam into her from behind, knocking her back to the ground. At the same time, she felt a slight breeze just over her head. As she hit the ground she heard a kind of thunking noise. Seconds later something landed on her back……followed by something moist.

"What the….." began Sayoko before something fell next to her. Sayoko's eye widened. That something was a body………a headless body…….which meant……. Sayoko sat up and stared behind her. Celes' blank face stared back at her.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!!" Sayoko screamed, then realized there was a person standing nearby. There, struggling to remove an Ax from a tree was a fully armored Goddess. Sayoko knew who it was from the outfit and markings.

"LIND?!?!"

Lind ripped the Ax out of the tree and turned her gaze towards Sayoko. Lind's red eyes bored into her. Sayoko stared stunned, Celes blood soaking into her robes. Lind raised the Ax above her head, ready to split the young goddess in two. Before Lind could complete the stroke, a red blur slammed into the Valkyrie.

"RUN, DAMMIT!!" shouted Asuka.

Urd and Arael grabbed the still stunned Sayoko and ran towards the main building. Asuka and Lind both glared at the other, circling the ground slowly.

"You've never defeated me before," Lind said, "and I wasn't even trying…..What makes you think you'll win now?"

"It's been 200 years since we fought last," Asuka replied. "Maybe I've learned a few things."

"Perhaps." Lind whipped her ax around her head a few times before assuming an offensive pose.

Asuka assumed a fighting stance as well.

"Let's dance," She said softly.

Neither noticed that Celes' body had vanished.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"But Celes……!" Sayoko shouted.

"We can't help her now!" Urd shouted. "We need to get to Yggdrasil."

She, Sayoko and Arael ran over the bridge that led to the main entrance of the Yggdrasil Building. They raced through the main entry hall and stopped just in front of the elevators. Urd hit a call button and waited. With a ding, the doors to her left opened. Urd started through the doors before her eyes noticed something.

There was no car, just empty shaft.

"GAH!!" Urd shouted as she started to fall forward. Just as quickly, her forward motion stopped. She was soon back in the entry hall, looking up at Arael.

"You are lucky I have quick reflexes," Arael said.

"Yeah." Urd stood up and looked down the shaft. Far below the red of flames could just be seen. "Guess we take the stairs."

"HEY!! THEY'RE OVER HERE!!"

The three turned to see Chronos standing at the other end of the entry hall. She was soon joined by Peorth, Camilla, X, Erie and a dozen other gods and goddesses.

"Oh, shit," muttered Urd as the group charged towards them.

Arael stepped forward.

"I will handle them," She said quietly. She waved her hand. An orange wave raced across the hall, knocking the charging gods to the floor. Arael glanced back at Sayoko and Urd.

"Get to Yggdrasil."

Urd immediately ran off. Sayoko looked at Arael for a moment longer before following her Aunt.

Arael smiled at the retreating Goddess before turning to face the group of Angry Deities that was just getting back on their feet.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Terra 2

"Gin!"

"DAMMIT!"

Lime kicked over the table, sending cards flying everywhere.

"NO MORE CARDS!!" she shouted. "You're too good, and I think you're reading my mind!"

"I wouldn't do that," Rei replied.

"I would," muttered Yui. Ceres snickered.

"Why don't you play something else?" Cherry suggested from behind the counter of the bar.

"Something that doesn't involve cards and is exciting," Lime said.

Yui suddenly straightened up and pulled out a game box.

"How about Life Sugoroku Special?"

Rei and Ceres narrowed their eyes and glared at Yui.

"What are you doing with that?" Rei asked.

"Aunt Urd gave it to me."

"Right. There is no way in hell we are going to play that."

"Why not?"

"Urd rigged the spinner. I spent most of the game in my underwear and I'm not about to tell you what your parents had to do. Pick something else."

"But I wanna play Life Sugoroku Special!!"

"NO!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Heavens

Urd and Sayoko flew up the stairs, higher and higher towards the level of the Yggdrasil Control room. Behind them they could hear the explosions as Arael held back the possessed gods.

"How many more levels?" Sayoko asked.

"Another 25," Urd replied.

"Good. I hate the stairs."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A bit later

"This landing!" Urd shouted.

Urd flew off down the hallway with Sayoko just behind her. Urd could just see the large doors to the control room when a figure stepped out. Urd instantly stopped in her tracks, causing Sayoko to plow right into her.

"OW!" cried Sayoko. "Why'd you stop, Urd?"

Urd stared at the figure in front of them.

"We have a bit of a problem."

"What is it?" Sayoko said as she looked down the corner. Her eyes widened as she spotted the figure blocking their path.

"Auntie Skuld?!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's notes.

Sorry about how long it took to get this chapter out. I started a new job and it's just been wiping me out.

Thanks to my Prereaders…..strange that the guy in the desert got to me faster then the rest.

Get out of there safely LD.

Ok

Life Sugoroku Special: The most evil game in the universe. Urd brought the game out in the manga at least once and tried to do so a second time. Basically whatever you land on happens. (also Urd cursed the spinner)

Let's see…..if memory serves…. Otaki was chased by a small dog, Sayoko Mishima Stripped down in front of everyone. Belldandy was called 'Momma' (Tamiya and Otaki both thought Keiichi had gotten her pregnant), Keiichi had to sweep the yard of snow in just a t-shirt and pants, Megumi kept getting 'Skip a turn' (she was probably the lucky one). Belldandy figured it out and eventually won the game……then warmed up Keiichi by planting a rather passionate kiss on him (ok….so maybe Megumi wasn't the only lucky one)

OMAKE

Evil Villain Auditions #2

Gendo Ikari, The Soultaker and Draco are all sitting behind a table.

"NEXT!" shouted out Draco.

Two people, a male and a female, walk in along with a cat. The Male and female both wear matching white uniforms with a red 'R' on their chest.

Gendo assumes his standard position, head resting on interlaced finger, glaring through his glasses.

"And you are?"

"Thought you'd never ask!" the woman said. "To protect the world from devastation….."

"…to Unite all people within our nation…" the male added.

"….to denounce the evils of truth and love…."

"…to extend our reach to the stars above…"

"Jesse."

"James."

"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"

The cat then jumped up on the desk.

"MEOWTH! That's right!"

Gendo, Soultaker, and Draco all look at each other.

"Well did we get the part?" James asked.

"No," Gendo replied.

"You're just not evil enough," Draco added.

"And I personally find you repulsive," The Soultaker added.

"PLEASE!!!!!!!" James, Jesse, and Meowth got on their knees and pleaded. "We need the work! We've got expenses! And the boss doesn't pay all that much!"

Gendo looked over at the Soultaker. "Would you mind?"

"Not at all." The Soultaker snapped her fingers. A lightning bolt ripped through the ceiling and slammed into Team Rocket. The three were sent flying through the air.

"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!!!" they cried.

The judges let out a sigh.

"NEXT!" shouted Draco.

A man in a dark cape and large black floppy hat walked towards them. His face was partially covered by a white mask and he wore a tuxedo under the cape.

"And you are?" asked Gendo.

Loud organ music thundered in the room from unseen speakers.

"I am," the man said, "The Phantom of the Opera!"

"The Phantom of the Opera?" the three judges looked at each other.

"Why are you here?" asked The Soultaker.

"I'm auditioning for the part of Villain in the next NG: Goddess fic of course!"

"But…….why?!"

"They fight Angels in the story, don't they?"

"Yes." Draco replied, wondering where this was going.

"Well…. I am the 'Angel of Music'!"


	18. Chapter 17

* * *

Chapter 17

Skuld's eyes glowed red as she glared at Urd and Sayoko.

"Hello, sister dear." Her eyes shifted. "And hello to you, niece. How nice of you to come home."

"Skuld," Urd began, "listen to me. You are not well. There is a Virus in the System that's causing all of you to act this way."

Skuld frowned. "A virus?"

"Yes, Auntie," Sayoko replied. "A virus, created by Loki."

Skuld looked confused for a moment, and then shook her head.

"No.....that isn't right," Skuld said. "There is no virus. You're trying to trick me."

"Auntie, I don't lie." Sayoko looked at her Aunt with pleading eyes. "You know that. It's a virus."

Skuld grabbed her head. "No it's not no it's not no it's not! You're lying!!!" She then glared at Urd. "This is your fault! You've turned Sayoko against me!"

"What?!" asked Urd, shocked.

"You've always hated the relationship Sayoko and I have had!" Skuld snarled. "She's only called ME 'Auntie'! You could never accept that I was the favorite Aunt!"

"That's not true, Skuld!" Urd shouted. "And you know it!"

"LIKE HELL IT'S NOT!!" Skuld raised her hands and formed a force bolt. "I won't let you past!"

"But Auntie.......!" began Sayoko before Urd grabbed her and pulled her around the corner, just as the force bolt ripped past them.

"Sayoko," Urd said softly, "You have to get in that control room any way you can."

"How?" Sayoko asked. "Skuld's blocking the entrance!"

"You have to find another way."

"What about you?"

"I'll keep Skuld occupied." Urd gave Sayoko a slight shove towards the stairs. "Now go!"

Sayoko ran to the stairs and started up. She stopped for a moment and looked back at Urd before resuming her climb. Urd waited until Sayoko was out of sight, then clenched her fists. Lightning crackled from them.

"Alright, Skuld!" she shouted, "You wanna fight?! URD BOLT!"

Urd leaped around the corner and fired off a powerful lightning bolt towards Skuld. Skuld raised her hand and a blue shield formed in front of her. The lightning bolt slammed into the shield, knocking Skuld back a few steps, but otherwise doing no damage. Skuld then smiled at Urd.

"This is going to be like old times," Skuld said. "Except for one thing........."

"What's that?" Urd asked. "The fact we're both First Class?"

"No." Skuld raised her hand. Lightning danced on her palm. "I don't use Bombs anymore." She flung her arm out, sending a lightning bolt right back at Urd.

* * *

Sayoko ran up flight after flight of stairs. The loud explosions from Urd and Skuld echoed behind her, as did the sounds from Arael's fight.

'How am I going to get into the control room?' Sayoko thought. 'That was the only entrance!'

Sayoko paused for a second on a landing, breathing heavily.

'Those doors were the only way in. How the heck am I.....' She paused in mid-thought as she felt a slight breeze rustle her hair. Sayoko looked up towards the ceiling and noticed a vent high up on the wall.

Sayoko let out a sigh before vanishing in a puff of smoke. She reappeared instantly in her Mini form.

'At least the power is on,' she thought before climbing into the vent and scurrying off.

The fight between Urd and Skuld was getting ugly. Both had given up on magical attacks, and were now resorting to physical violence. However they hadn't yet given up on magic entirely. Both had resorted to multiplication. As a result, there were now almost 200 Mini-Urds and Mini-Skulds sporting black eyes, bruises, and fat lips. There were also a few rather deformed Skulds and Urds that weren't doing much (the Goddesses having multiplied too much for their available power).

The goddesses were not alone in their struggle. At some point their angels had come out and joined the fray. Noble Scarlet currently had World of Elegance in a headlock and was driving the captive Angel's head into the wall.

Further down on the main floor, Arael was holding off wave after wave of Goddesses and Gods. At first she had tried to drive them by pushing them away with her AT-Field. Now she was simply trying to keep her field up and the deities from getting to the stairs.

Outside in the garden, Asuka and Lind had also given up on magic and weapons for fists. Both were by now battered, bloody, very weary and tired. Lind threw a punch at Asuka. The Guardian spotted the oncoming fist and ducked, then countered with her own punch. She connected right under Lind's chin. The Goddess's jaw slammed shut with a loud crack. Lind fell to the ground, unconscious. Asuka stared surprised at the fallen goddess.

"I beat her," she whispered, shocked. She then started jumping up and down.

"I BEAT HER!! I BEAT LIND!!!" She stopped jumping when the world spun.

"Nap time," Asuka whispered, before falling unconscious on top of Lind.

* * *

The main control room of Yggdrasil was dimly lit, just the way Urd and the others had left it. The three massive spirals to Yggdrasil still continued to rotate slowly. This rather peaceful scene was disrupted by a shriek as a figure slid down one of the Yggdrasil spirals. The figure slid round and round the spiral, leaping off just before it would have past the control room level.

Sayoko landed in a roll and looked around before standing up.

"That was fun," She muttered. She then looked up at the main screen.

"Yggdrasil Identify Sayoko, Norn of the Present," she commanded.

"Identity confirmed," responded Yggdrasil.

Sayoko walked over to the SysOp control panel, put the disk into the console and began typing commands. A soft noise caused her to stop and look around. Sayoko shrugged it off and continued typing.

A moment later she heard the sound again. She sensed the attack just before it hit. Sayoko dove out of the way as a force bolt ripped through the space she had been occupying. Before she could get back on her feet she was tossed through the air as another force bolt slammed into the floor next to her. She landed on her back near the edge of the spiral pit.

"Ow," she muttered. She glanced around and found herself looking up at a Valkyrie, but not just any Valkyrie.

It was Mist, the Commander of the Valkyries.

"I don't suppose you'd just let me go?" Sayoko asked.

Mist's eyes glowed a bright red behind her visor as she raised a sword above her head.

"Guess not." Sayoko formed a force bolt and flung it at Mist. The bolt hit Mist..........and then vanished, causing no damage.

"Oh, heck," Sayoko muttered. She closed her eyes, waiting for the end.

But it did not come.

What did come was the sound of high-pitched chirping. Sayoko opened her eyes to see Mist swatting at a bunch of bats that were circling her. Little blond haired bats. Mist swung her sword wildly at them. The bats continued to swoop in at her, causing her to back up, right towards the edge of the pit. With a loud scream, Mist fell over the edge. Her scream soon faded from Sayoko's ears.

Sayoko watched as the bats swarmed together and joined to form the figure of Celes Victoria. Celes knelt beside Sayoko.

"You alright?"

"I'm fine." Sayoko glanced over at the edge. "Probably better than Mist is." Sayoko glanced at the Vampire. "You alright?"

Celes felt her neck. "Yeah. I'm fine."

"Good. Don't ever do that again."

Sayoko turned and walked back to the SysOp console.

"Oh, heck."

Celes walked up to the console to see what Sayoko was looking at. Upon arriving, she found the console blackened and scorched.

"How bad is it?" Celes asked.

"Bad," Sayoko replied. The goddess poked at the charred bits. "I don't think it's repairable."

"Think?" Celes asked. "Don't you know?"

Sayoko frowned at Celes. "Look, I know how to run the damn thing.........for the most part. Skuld and Urd showed me how it worked when I was 4."

Celes stared at Sayoko. "When you were 4?!?! But you've been up here for 500 years!"

"I wasn't assigned to Yggdrasil. I was in the Goddess Relief Office, then assigned to the surface of the Earth, then back to the GRO, then the Terra 2 office." Sayoko poked at the console again. "Actual repair work is Auntie Skuld's area."

"Can't you just magic it back together?"

Sayoko shook her head. "I can't even toss a decent force bolt right now. You really want me to try to fix it?"

"Good point," Celes said. "So what do we do now?"

Sayoko began to pry the console. "We get the disk out and try it at an Admin Console."

"Need help?"

Sayoko shook her head as she pulled the lid off the console.

"No.....just sit and wait."

Celes backed away from the goddess and leaned against a console so she could keep an eye on Sayoko. As she leaned against the panel, Celes's rear hit several buttons. Several lights began to flash, lights that went unnoticed by the Goddess and Vampire.

* * *

Terra 2

Keima's eyes flashed red as a crack appeared in his ice prison. Another crack followed, and another.........

* * *

"I can't believe you did that!"

"I can."

"Shut up, Ceres!" Yui shouted. She then glared at Rei. "How could you do that?!" She pointed towards the smoldering box that had once been Life Sugoroku Special.

"After the stories Belldandy, Sayoko and Skuld told me about that game, I found it rather easy to do."

Lime looked over at Kensuke, who shook his head.

"You don't want to know," he whispered.

"When Aunt Urd finds out you destroyed her favorite game, she's gonna......." Yui's voice trailed off.

Rei crossed her arms. "Going to do what?"

"Umm, Rei," Kensuke said.

"Shh. Yui is going to tell me what Urd might do to me."

"But........"

"Come on Yui, tell me."

"Rei....."

Rei turned and glared at Kensuke. "What is it?!"

Kensuke pointed. "Keima's free."

Rei turned about just in time to see a bright flash before the world went black.

* * *

Heavens

WHAM!

"Are you sure you don't need help?" Celes asked.

WHAM!

"....I mean, being a Vampire and all......"

WHAM!

"I do have a bit more strength than....."

CRACK!

".........You?" Celes watched as Sayoko pulled the diskette out from the console. "Got it?"

Sayoko nodded as she walked to the Admin consoles.

"Yep....now all I have to do is......." Sayoko frowned as she looked at the disk. The disk was slightly warped. "Oh, man."

"Will it still work?"

"No." Sayoko sat down heavily on the floor. "It won't."

"So we're screwed?"

"Yep."

"Great."

* * *

Shinji and Touji peered over the window ledge. They quickly ducked down as several force bolts ripped through the air over them.

"Didn't think they'd find us this fast," Touji muttered.

"It was bound to happen," Shinji said.

"True. Still want to go look for Asuka?"

Shinji glanced out the window. Twenty Valkyries now stood out in the streets, all looking towards the building he and Touji had sought cover in.

"It was only a brief connection to her," Shinji said. "Now she's not answering. Like she's unconscious."

"She could also be......."

Shinji turned and glared at Touji. "She's not that. I would have felt that. No, she's alive......" He turned and looked out the window. "..and somewhere out there."

* * *

Celes and Sayoko sat on the floor, staring at the Yggdrasil main screen.

"You know," Celes said, "this sucks."

"Tell me about it," muttered Sayoko.

"I don't like to lose," continued Celes. "I've never lost."

Sayoko glanced over at the Vampire.

"Didn't you die back at that Church in Cheddar? Doesn't that mean you lost?"

"Yeah but....since then," Celes glanced at the Goddess, "I've never lost."

"First time for everything."

"Come on!" Celes sat up and faced the Goddess. "You've been a Goddess for how long? Surely you've encountered something like this before!"

"Sure I've been around for hopeless situations," Sayoko said. "I was an Eva pilot. I even went with the demon armies to retake heaven. But something like this?" Sayoko shook her head. "Urd and Skuld have the computer experience, Mom a little, me none."

"So what would they do?"

Sayoko shrugged. "I don't know. I don't think they ever......had........a.........similar........." Sayoko's voice trailed off.

"What?" Celes looked at the Goddess curiously. "What is it?"

"They did have something similar," Sayoko said. Suddenly she got very excited. "I remember! I know how they did it!"

"How?"

"They sang the Anti-Virus!"

Celes blinked. "What?"

"You'll see."

* * *

"MOVE!" Shinji shouted as a force bolt ripped through the air towards them.

Touji and Shinji leaped out of the way of the bolt, then landed and rolled towards new cover.

"I don't know how much longer we can hold them off," Touji said. "Not without killing them."

"Killing them is a last resort," Shinji said. "And we are nowhere near that desperate."

"Right." Touji peered out from behind their cover. "Here they co......What the hell?!?!"

"What is it?"

"You have to see it to believe it."

* * *

From the top of the Main Yggdrasil building, white clouds began to form. From within the clouds, a set of white wings emerged, followed by the large form of an Angel; An Angel that Touji and Shinji knew very well.

Morning Bell.

Morning Bell stood tall over the building and looked out over the heavens. She raised her arms out to her sides. Another smaller figure, in blue and white, could just be seen floating in front of her.

Sayoko.

Sayoko opened her eyes, the Angel mimicking the Goddess' movements exactly. Then both opened their mouths, and Sayoko began to sing. As she sang, far down below in the control room level, a sphere of golden light appeared within the rotating spirals. Celes watched as the sphere glowed brighter and brighter before it burst, sending out a pulse of golden light in all directions.

* * *

The wise man said just walk this way

To the dawn of the light

The wind will blow into your face

As the years pass you by

Hear this voice from deep inside

It's the call of your heart

Close your eyes and your will find

The passage out of the dark

Here I am

Will you send me an angel

Here I am

In the land of the morning star

The wise man said just find your place

In the eye of the storm

Seek the roses along the way

Just beware of the thorns

Here I am

Will you send me an angel

Here I am

In the land of the morning star

The wise man said just raise your hand

And reach out for the spell

Find the door to the promised land

Just believe in yourself

Hear this voice from deep inside

It's the call of your heart

Close your eyes and you will find

The way out of the dark

Here I am

Will you send me an angel

Here I am

In the land of the morning star

Here I am

Will you send me an angel

Here I am

In the land of the morning star

Scorpions – Send me an Angel

* * *

A bruised, bleeding and broken Urd gasped for breath as Skuld choked her against the wall. Behind them, World of Elegance lay on the floor, her mouth open in a silent scream as Noble Scarlet tried to rip her wings off.

"Well, sister," Skuld said, "looks like I'm the stronger one." She pulled back her fist. Urd clenched her eyes shut, waiting for the end. Then she felt a brief warmth flow through her. Urd opened her eyes to see a flash of gold vanish into the walls. She then heard Skuld gasp.

"Urd?"

Urd looked back at Skuld. Skuld's brown eyes blinked back at her.

"Air!!" Urd gasped.

"Oh!" Skuld released Urd who slid to the floor gasping.

"Thanks," Urd said, still sucking in lungfuls of air.

"What happened?" Skuld asked. "Why was I holding you against the wall?" Off to the side, Noble Scarlet was looking equally confused.

"You mean you don't know?" Urd asked in disbelief. Skuld shook her head. "Boy do I have a story for you, sister."

* * *

Arael was now on her knees, still struggling to keep her AT-Field up against the swarming goddesses. She felt a slight warmth pass through her.

'That's it,' She thought. 'They are getting through.' She dropped her AT-Field and waited for the end.

"Arael?"

Arael looked up at the goddesses. All were looking around confused.

"Arael, what are you doing here?" asked Peorth. "Aren't you supposed to be on earth?"

"Yes," Arael replied before falling over, completely exhausted.

* * *

Shinji and Touji stared in awe at the sight of Sayoko. Then they spotted the wave of golden light.

"What is that?" Touji asked.

"I don't know," Shinji replied as the wave swept towards them. "Get down!"

Both fell to the ground as the wave hit them. Instead of destructive energy, both felt a sense of warmth.

"Whoa," Touji said. "That felt......."

"Nice," Shinji finished. He then turned and looked over at the Valkyries. The women were now standing around looking very disoriented and confused. Their eyes were also no longer red. "They're back to normal!"

Touji glanced at the Valkyries, then glanced back at the Yggdrasil building which Morning Bell's form was just vanishing into.

"Looks like she did it," Touji said.

* * *

Terra 2

Yui crashed through the wall and tumbled out into the street. From the hole in the wall, Keima stepped through.

"Stupid Guardians," He muttered. "Stepping into matters that do not concern you. You could be by our sides as we rule. Instead.......you will be at our feet."

"KEIMA!!!" Lime shouted form inside the restaurant. "Please stop this!"

Keima ignored Lime's plea and stood over Yui.

"It ends now." Keima raised his hands, his staff appearing within them, the end hovering over a stunned Yui's chest. Before he could plunge the staff downward, something swept over him. Keima blinked.

Then blinked again.

'What am I doing?' He thought. He looked down. 'What happened to Yui? Where's Lime? Why....' All his thoughts were disrupted as something else slammed into him from the side. The next thing he knew, he was being held down to the ground by the Marionette Lime.

"I've got him!" she shouted.

"Hold him still," Yui said weakly as she got to her feet. "I'll cast the binding spell on him and........"

"Yui? What's going on?" Keima asked.

Yui paused slightly and looked down at Keima. Then she shook her head.

"No. You're trying to trick us again."

"Yui. Why is Lime holding me down? Where's my Lime? What's going on?"

"Keima?" Lime, the mortal one, stepped out through the hole in the wall and started towards Keima. Yui stopped her.

"He's trying to trick us again," Yui said softly. Lime looked around Yui and stared at Keima. Keima stared right back at her. Their eyes met, and Lime knew.

"Lime," the mortal said, "let him up."

"What?" the marionette asked. "But he's......"

"LET HIM UP!!!"

"But...?" Yui started.

"LET........HIM........UP!!"

The marionette released Keima, who then stood up. He was immediately wrapped up in a hug by Lime. Keima blinked.

"Lime? What....?"

"Shhh," She whispered. "I'm just glad you're you again."

Keima blinked again. He looked down at Lime, then looked over at Yui and the Marionette Lime, then back to his Lime.

'I don't know what the hell is going on......but......ah screw it.....someone will tell me.' Keima then sighed and wrapped his arms around Lime.

* * *

Heavens

About an hour later.

"NO, SKULD!!!! DON'T......" Belldandy began. She then stopped and blinked. Skuld was no longer in the spot Belldandy had last seen her. And where did Urd come from?

"Hi, Bell," Urd said.

"Wha?" Belldandy looked at Urd, then over at Skuld. Both were battered, bruised and bloody. A closer look at Skuld showed her eyes had returned to normal. Then Belldandy remembered someone else.

"Ow...." muttered Cayla from her spot on the floor. She glanced up and saw Skuld. "Eeep!"

"Wait!" Urd shouted. "Everything is fine now."

"But what about......?" began Belldandy.

"Everything is fine," Urd repeated. "All the gods are back to normal, and we're beginning to repair the damage."

"Father?"

"He was with Mom down in Hell," Urd replied. "And no....I am not about to find out what he was doing down there."

"Was anyone else hurt?"

Urd and Skuld's eyes fell, giving Belldandy her answer. She closed her eyes and let her head fall in silent prayer.

"There's more, Onee-sama,"Skuld said. "About Sayoko.........."

Belldandy was on Skuld in a second.

"What about Sayoko? What is it? What's wrong with her?!"

* * *

Sayoko blinked and looked around. She was standing in the middle of a large patch of grass, surrounded by trees.

"Where am I?" she muttered out loud.

She then looked up.

Far above, hanging downward like stalactites, were buildings. That alone told her where she was.

"The Geofront," She muttered again. "I must be dreaming."

"You are."

Sayoko turned to see the Soultaker lying on the ground, looking up towards the 'sky'.

"I got tired of your mind choosing where you'd end up," the demon said, "so I decided to pick a spot."

Sayoko nodded. "Guess I succeeded then, got rid of the virus?"

The Soultaker shrugged. "Don't know. I don't get a lot of info here. I do know you depleted all of your powers just a bit ago."

Sayoko sat down next to the demon and laid down on her back.

"So what happens now?" Sayoko asked softly.

"You'll probably be here till your power levels recover, then leave," The Soultaker replied. "And life will continue on as normal."

"What about you?"

The demon shrugged. "Don't know. This is your sub-consciousness."

Sayoko glanced at the Soultaker.

"You do owe me a name."

"I already told you it wasn't very threatening."

"I'd still like to know."

"Why?"

"Because then I can finally get you out of my head," Sayoko replied. She then smiled. "I don't want to remember you as just the 'Soultaker'."

"Alright, alright." The demon glared at the goddess. "You're a persistent one."

"So...?"

"Fine. My name is........"

* * *

Sayoko let out a quiet moan, then opened her eyes. She found herself staring at a bright white ceiling. Turning her head to the side, she saw that she was in the Infirmary in Heaven. Turning to her other side, she found herself face to face with........

"Mother?"

Belldandy smiled. "Hello, sleepy head. About time you woke up."

Sayoko groaned as she sat up.

"How long was I out?" she asked.

"Three days."

"THREE DAYS?!?!" Sayoko let out another moan. "Kensuke is probably worried sick."

"He is," Her mother replied. "However, he knows you'll get better care here than on Terra 2, considering your condition."

Sayoko's eyes widened slightly. "How did you.....?"

"Well, I am your Mother," Belldandy said with a smile. "And of course Urd told me right away." Belldandy sat down on the bed and wrapped her daughter in a tight hug. "I'm so happy for you."

"Easy, Bell," came a voice from the doorway. "She just woke up."

Sayoko glanced over her mother's shoulder to see Skuld and Urd standing in the doorway with big smiles. Belldandy released Sayoko and sniffed, wiping away the forming tears.

"Sorry," she said. "I'm just so happy."

"She's happy now," Urd said. "But just wait till she gets called 'Grandma'"

Belldandy's eyes widened. "WHAT?!?!"

"We'll still be called Aunts regardless," Urd said. "But you.....you have to get used to being called 'Grandma'."

"But...but....but....I'M NOT THAT OLD!" Belldandy cried out. "I'm too young to be called Grandma!"

"Five centuries isn't old?"

"Oh, leave Onee-sama alone," Skuld said.

"Hey!" Sayoko called out, bringing everyone's attention back to her. "Where's Celes?"

The three elder Goddesses glanced at each other, then looked back at Sayoko.

"Well, you see...." began Urd.

"Celes is now a full Nosferatu," Skuld continued. "A creature of Evil."

"She has always been a Vampire, though," Sayoko said. "But she's not Evil."

"We know she isn't Evil," Belldandy said. "So does Mist and your Grandfather. But there are others who...aren't very happy that she was here, and even more unhappy she was in the Control Room."

"They didn't hurt her, did they?" Sayoko asked.

"No, no, no," Skuld said. "She's waiting back at the house with your Father."

Sayoko let out a sigh. "So when do I get to leave?"

"Not for a day or two," Belldandy said. She then raised a hand and cut off Sayoko's protest. "May I remind you that you are with child and have completely drained your powers. They want to make sure everything is alright before they release you."

"Fine," Sayoko muttered.

Belldandy wrapped her daughter in another hug.

"Don't worry. Everything is going to be fine. I'll be there for you, as will Kensuke, Celes, Skuld, even Urd."

Urd and Skuld glanced at each other.

"I'm not running to the store at three in the morning for tea," muttered Urd.

"You didn't," replied Skuld. "It was Keiichi. And then I made it because you kept wanting to add stuff."

Urd glared at Skuld.

"Did not."

"Did too."

"Did not."

"Did too."

Belldandy sighed. "Ah....memories."

"Were they this bad when you had me?" Sayoko asked.

Belldandy shook her head. "No....they were much worse."

"Ugh." Sayoko fell back and buried her head in the pillow. "When did they stop?"

"Not until you were born," Belldandy said with a smile.

"Great."

* * *

Celes leaned on the railing and looked out over the garden. Beside stood Keiichi. Sitting on the porch further down was Arael.

"Beautiful." She said softly.

"Yeah." Keiichi said., "When she's not working, Belldandy is here. She really loves her garden.

"She never did plant any roses." Peorth said as she walked out to join them.

"That's because you kept attacking Urd with them." Keiichi said, "Who was on the phone?"

"Chrono and Erie." Peorth replied, "Yggdrasil is running well enough that they are going to reopen the Gates soon. Camilla is relieved, apparently things are backing up over there."

Keiichi nodded while Celes looked confused.

"Camilla?" Celes asked, "Never heard of her."

"She's in charge of the Gates of Heaven, sorts the souls between heaven and hell according to Yggdrasil." Peorth said, "Since the ...... incident, the Gates have been closed. So all the Souls are just crowding up out there."

"Oh?" Celes said, "If I mentioned a name, could you tell me where the Soul is?"

"I suppose. Who is it?"

* * *

Gates of Heaven

"I had a heart attack while jogging." said one man.

"My Husband ran me over with a car." a woman said.

"I was shot by a mugger." another man said.

"I was eaten by a Vampire who had transformed into a Dog from hell."

Everyone turned and looked at the man who had spoken last. He was dressed in grey Priest robes.

"A what?" asked one of the others.

Anderson sighed, "A Hellhound. A foul beast from the pits. I fell trying to drive his impure stench from the Earth." He then drooped his head. "But I failed in my most Righteous Duty to the Lord and must beg St. Peter's forgiveness and allow me to enter the most Holy Gates of Heaven."

The other souls looked at one another before one turned back to Anderson.

"If you found some kind of Narcotic around here man you'd better share that with the rest of us."

Anderson scowled. "I need no drugs. I am full of God's righteous Glory and..."

"IT'S OPENING!!!" came a shout from further up near the gates.

Sure enough, the Gates slowly swung open. Row after row of armored figures soon followed, preventing anyone from rushing into the gates. Desks with monitors were then lead out by several females who sat down behind them. As if following some unspoken set of rules, all the souls present formed lines leading to each desk. After several hours, Anderson finally reached the front of the line.

"Name please." The girl behind the desk asked cheerfully.

Anderson stared at the girl a moment. She couldn't be but 18.

"My Child," he said, "I would wish to speak with St. Peter."

The girl looked up at him and glared. "He is busy. You have to deal with me. State your name please."

"I am a Paladin for the God almighty. I have slain Beasts of Hell for the past 500 years." Anderson shouted, "I would speak with St. Peter or any of the other Apostles of our Lord and allow me entry into Heaven, not some rude little girl."

The girl stood up and slammed her hands on the desk.

"I am the Goddess Camilla, First Class Type 4 Unlimited!" she shouted back, "And I am over 2,000 years old! You will have to speak with me more Civilly or you will NEVER enter Heaven!"

Anderson's eyes widened. When he spoke, it was more softly.

"My name is Father Alexander Anderson."

Camilla smiled, before resuming her seat. She then typed away at her terminal for a moment.

"Thank-you Father." Camilla said more cheerfully, "You name is on the list. A guide will meet you on the other side of the Gate. Have a nice day."

Anderson nodded and walked quickly toward the gate.

"Ungrateful Angel.......maybe a Saint I don't know.......The Lord shall hear of this....." Anderson muttered under his breathe, as he passed into the Gate, "At least that Hellsing Dog and that Vampiric Bitch isn't here to...."

"Why Hello Father!"

Anderson froze and slowly looked up. Standing there before him was Celes. She smiled at him, showing off all her fangs.

"Welcome to Heaven Father." Celes said with a smile. From behind her stepped out Arael, the Angel.

"I'm in Hell." Anderson said, "Aren't I?"

"Nope." Celes said, "This is Heaven."

Anderson sighed, "Can this get any worse?"

"Ummm," Celes said thinking, "Kami-sama wishes to see you. Something about injuring his Grandchild."

Anderson heard footsteps beside him. He turned to see he was now flanked by four armored woman.

"...And he won't take no for an answer." Celes finished.

* * *

Nine Months later.

Kensuke paced around in the living room of his home. Present in the room were Lime, Keima, Bloodberry, Cherry, Celes, Shinji, Touji, Lorelei and Otaru. Several times, everyone glanced towards the second floor as a cry of pain came from upstairs. Suddenly, Kensuke whirled on Shinji.

"Why is it taking so long?" he shouted. "She's been in labor for 5 hours now!"

"Sometimes it takes awhile," Shinji replied.

Kensuke paced a few more times, then looked back at Shinji.

"Why can't I be in there though?"

"Because Sayoko is a First Class Goddess."

"So?"

"She's in massive amounts of pain right now and can't really control her powers. Why do you think Arael is in there?"

"But I still want...."

A loud cry suddenly came from upstairs. Before the cry faded, lightning crashed through the ceiling and slammed into an end table.

Kensuke stared for a moment at the remains of the table. Yui then hurried down the stairs.

"Everyone alright?"

Everyone nodded slowly. Kensuke then went to the bottom of the stairs.

"How much longer?" he asked.

"Anytime now, according to Aunt Belldandy," Yui said. "It's because the baby is part mor....."

Another loud cry sounded, followed by the sounds of something ricocheting around the room and several surprised shouts. Yui glanced back up at the stairs, as did Kensuke. All was quiet for a moment, then the sound of a baby crying reached their ears. The sound of a door opening reached them, then Skuld appeared at the top of the stairs.

"Come on up, Ken."

Kensuke flew up the stairs and raced into the room. There, laying on the bed looking utterly exhausted was Sayoko. In her arms was a small bundle. Kensuke slowly walked up and knelt beside the bed. Belldandy, Urd, Skuld, Arael and Yui watched, smiling, as Sayoko handed over the baby to her father.

"Here you go, little one," Sayoko said softly. "It's time to meet your father."

Kensuke stared down at his tiny daughter. The baby looked up with her bright blue eyes and stared at him. Wisps of light brown hair covered her head. Below her eyes were small blue markings. ON her forehead was an elongated blue diamond, just like her mother's and her grandmother's.

"Ken," Sayoko said softly, "say hello to your daughter Kristine."

"Hello, Kristine," Kensuke said softly. "Welcome to the world."

"Gah!" Kristine shouted.

Sayoko smiled as she looked back at the others. Her face froze slightly as she saw one extra being.

Unnoticed by the others was the ghostly form of the Soultaker. The Demon met Sayoko's eyes, then smiled.

'Thank you,' she mouthed before fading away.

Sayoko leaned back in the bed, closed her eyes and sighed. Within seconds she was sound asleep.

Kensuke heard Sayoko's soft snores and looked up. He then felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Let her sleep," He heard Belldandy say softly. "I think there are people downstairs who want to welcome my granddaughter."

Kensuke nodded and carefully carried his daughter out of the room. The others left as well, Belldandy being the last one to leave. Before she shut the door, she turned and glanced at the sleeping Goddess.

"Rest well, my Daughter," she said softly. "Tomorrow, You begin the hardest task of all: raising a child."

She then closed the door and joined those welcoming the newest Goddess.

* * *

16 years later

"How is she?" Celes asked.

"Panicking," Sayoko replied. "She's worried about her dress, if Keima and Lime are coming, if we'll arrive on time....."

"MOM!!!! I can't find my favorite Headband!!!"

"And her hair." Sayoko let out a loud sigh, then shouted towards the stairs.

"Wear one of the other headbands, Kris!"

"BUT MOM!!!! Grandma gave me that Headband!" came Kris' reply. "I NEED that Headband!"

"Hey!" came a young male voice. "Look what I got!"

"SENTARO!!!" came Kris' yell. "THAT'S MY HEADBAND!!! GIVE IT TO ME!!"

"Gotta catch me first!"

The sound of multiple feet racing through the upstairs soon became the sound of two feet racing down the stairs. Sayoko and Celes watched as a young boy of 10, named Sentaro after his Great Aunt's husband and looking very much like a small Kensuke, raced from the bottom of the stairs and out the back door. He was soon followed by a 15 year old girl in Goddess robes, Kristine, who looked very much like her Grandmother, even more so than her mother ever did.

"SENTARO, YOU GET BACK HERE!!!" Kris shouted.

"Kristine," Sayoko said softly.

The 15 year old stopped in her tracks and looked over.

"Yes, Mother?"

"Is this how a soon-to-be First Class Goddess acts?"

"But.......'

"Is it?" Sayoko said a bit more forcefully.

Kristine looked down at her feet.

"No, Mother."

"Now what did Sentaro do?"

"He....." began Kristine. "He has Grandma's headband and he won't give it back."

"Does he now?" Sayoko raised her hand and snapped her fingers. In a flash, Sentaro appeared in mid-stride. He blinked and skidded to a stop as he realized he was back in the house.

"Sentaro," Sayoko said. "Do you have Kris' Headband?"

"Yes, Mother," Sentaro said.

"Why don't you give it to her?"

Sentaro looked up at his mother and knew that it was an order, not a request. He handed over the headband to his sister.

"Thank you," Kristine said. She then raced back up the stairs to continue getting ready.

Sayoko sighed and sat down on the couch.

"Sentaro, why did you decide, on today of all days, to pick on your Sister?"

Sentaro shrugged. "I dunno."

"Today is a very important day for your sister. Do you know why?"

Sentaro nodded. "Onee-chan becomes a First Class Goddess."

Sayoko nodded. "That's right. She will be announced in front of all the Gods and Goddesses of Heaven. She wants to look her best, so she's very nervous. So try not to upset her ok?"

"Yes, Mother," Sentaro said. He started to walk away, then stopped and looked back. "Mother?"

Sayoko looked back over at her son.

"Yes, Sentaro?"

"Will I ever become a God?"

Sayoko shook her head sadly.

"No, Sentaro. You have no heavenly powers like your sister does."

"Oh." Sentaro started to walk away, but soon found himself wrapped up in his mother's arms.

"Don't feel bad that you won't be a god," Sayoko said softly. "I love you just as much as I love your sister. So does your father, your Uncles and Aunts, and your Grandparents."

"But why don't I have any powers like Onee-chan?" Sentaro asked.

"Your Great-Grandpa has something else in mind for you," Sayoko said softly.

"Like what?"

"I don't know," Sayoko replied. "We'll just have to live each day and figure it out on our own." She released her son from the hug. "Now why don't you go find your father. We'll be leaving soon."

"Ok."

Sentaro quickly raced off. Sayoko watched for a moment before looking back at a smiling Celes.

"They grow up so fast," Celes said softly. "Seems like yesterday I was changing their diapers."

Sayoko gave Celes a slight glare. "I seem to remember yesterday as the day you duct-taped Sentaro to the ceiling."

"Hey! He was driving me nuts!" Celes said. "And besides, Kristine helped!"

"Great," muttered Sayoko. "On the eve of becoming a First Class, my Daughter acts like a 6 year old." She then glared at Celes. "And her 500 year old Vampire Aunt, who should know better, helps."

Celes smiled. "That's why I'm her Favorite Aunt."

"Right," replied Sayoko. "It's a wonder she didn't end up becoming another Urd."

"HEY!!"

* * *

Two Hours later

Kristine paced about in the back area of the grand hall. On stage, a God was speaking to the assembled about the virtues involved for one to become a First Class. In just a few short minutes, she would be introduced to everyone in the hall as a Goddess of the First rank, one of the few to have reached that rank at such a young age. She had already had a pep talk from Grandma Belldandy and Auntie Skuld. Now she just had to walk out on stage, greet everyone, and not screw up.

"You won't screw up," Came a voice.

Kristine turned to see her Uncle Keima and Auntie Lime standing near her. She quickly flew to them and grabbed them both in a hug, which they returned.

"I didn't think you were coming," Kristine said.

"Well," Keima said putting an arm around Lime, "we couldn't miss today. It's not often a First Class Goddess is named."

"Besides," Lime added, patting her stomach, "this one wouldn't stop kicking if we didn't come."

Kristine smiled. "Have you decided on a name?"

"Not yet," Lime replied, glancing at Keima. "We have a couple picked out, to cover both sexes."

Kristine's jaw dropped. "You mean you don't know the sex yet?"

"Nope," Keima said. "We decided to be surprised."

"Anyway," Lime said, "it's almost time for this show to start." She hugged Kristine. "Good luck."

"No passing out, now," Keima said with a smile as he and Lime walked out to join the rest of the family.

Kristine closed her eyes and sighed.

"Are you ready?"

The young Goddess opened her eyes to see Mist, commander of the Valkyries, waiting near the stage entrance.

"Yes, Commander," Kristine said.

"Good," Mist said. "It is time." The Valkyrie turned and walked out onto the stage.

'Alright, Kris,' Kristine said to herself, 'let's go!'

* * *

"Goddesses and Gods," the speaker shouted out, "allow me to be the first to present to you Goddess First Class Type 2 Unlimited, Kristine Aida!"

Sayoko stood up and joined the audience as they cheered Kristine as she walked out to the middle of the stage. Her daughter then waved and happily acknowledged the crowd as they shouted words of praise and encouragement towards her.

Sayoko and Kristine then locked eyes. Sayoko smiled at her daughter and nodded. Kristine nodded back.

"Hey."

Sayoko glanced to the side to her husband.

"We did alright, didn't we?" he said.

"Yes," Sayoko said, turning back to the stage, "we did."

* * *

A new day...  
A new day...  
  
I was waiting for so long  
For a miracle to come  
Everyone told me to be strong  
Hold on and don't shed a tear  
  
Through the darkness and good times  
I knew I'd make it through  
And the world thought I had it all  
But I was waiting for you  
  
Hush now  
  
I see a light in the sky  
Oh, it's almost blinding me  
I can't believe  
I've been touched by an angel with love  
  
Let the rain come down and wash away my tears  
Let it fill my soul and drown my fears  
Let it shatter the walls for a new, new sun  
  
A new day has... come  
  
Where it was dark now there's light  
Where there was pain now there's joy  
Where there was weakness, I found my strength  
All in the eyes of a boy  
  
Hush now  
  
I see a light in the sky  
Oh, it's almost blinding me  
I can't believe  
I've been touched by an angel with love  
  
Let the rain come down and wash away my tears  
Let it fill my soul and drown my fears  
Let it shatter the walls for a new, new sun  
  
A new day has...  
  
Let the rain come down and wash away my tears  
Let it fill my soul and drown my fears  
Let it shatter the walls for a new, new sun  
  
A new day has... come  
  
Ohhh, a light  
  
Hush now  
  
I see a light in your eyes  
All in the eyes of the boy  
  
I can't believe  
I've been touched by an angel with love  
  
I can't believe  
I've been touched by an angel with love  
  
Hush now  
  
Hush now

Celine Dion – A New Day has Come

* * *

Author's Notes

So this is the end of this story line.

As always, reviews are always appreciated.

Special Thanks to:

Lord Deathscythe for taking the time to pre read while sweating it out in the desert.

And to MechaTama of Anime Planet

Another shout out to Kristine for just being there hugs


	19. Timeline

Time line for Neon Genesis: Goddess

This timeline is based off of mostly conjecture and guesses for the two series, as well as dates used in my fanfic. Hopefully this will help you when reading the fic to see where each specific story took place.

Long Before Recorded times

Kami-sama creates the Angels to force the Demons from the surface of the Earth. The Angels then turn on Kami-sama. Lilith makes a deal with Kami-sama, causing all the Angels to fall into a deep sleep, allowing Humanity to finally begin.

1200s

Mist is born and becomes a Valkyrie (exact date is unknown as no one wanted to ask her how old she was.)

1455

Mist becomes Commander of all the Valkyries. She still holds this position.

1966

January 5th Peorth, Goddess of Forever is born

1968

December 20th Urd, Goddess of the Past is born. She is half Goddess and half Demon. She chooses to follow her Goddess side, much to the dismay of her Mother, Hild, Queen of Hell.

1975

January 1st  Belldandy, Goddess of the Present is born

April 24th Keiichi Morisato is born

1976

December 5th Megumi Morisato is born

1977

Yui Ikari is born

1978

Celes Victoria is born

1981

Belldandy sneaks down to the surface of the Earth where she meets Keiichi Morisato. After a week of fun, Belldandy promises to meet Keiichi the next day. As promises are considered contracts, and Belldandy does not yet have a license, She is forced to remove Keiichi's memory. He allows her to do so, in order to prevent her from being punished. Keiichi soon forgets the meeting, but the Mortal will never leave Belldandy's mind. She continues to follow his life, hoping to one day grant his wish.

1982

Belldandy is put under the tutelage of the God Celestine.

1986

June 17th Kaji Ryoji is born

November 12th Skuld, Goddess of the Future is born

November 21st Ritsuko Akagi is born

December 8th Misato Katsuragi is born

1991

Belldandy is named Goddess 1st Class.

Within a month, Celestine tries to persuade Belldandy to help him over throw the current council of Heaven, in order to create a new order. Before she can say anything, Celestine is attacked by Guardians of Heaven. Celestine tries to fight them off. Belldandy saves him, but is upset over her actions. Celestine is soon captured by Valkyries. Belldandy suffers a complete mental breakdown. She is given a potion which deletes the entire event from her mind. Celestine is reduced to a class 7 inanimate form and imprisoned in the Lunar Prison.

1996

Belldandy, Goddess 1st class Type 2 Unlimited, comes to Earth to grant Keiichi Morisato's wish. He wishes for her to be with him forever. Later, Urd, Goddess 2nd Class Restricted and Skuld, Goddess 2nd Class Limited follow their sister down.

December 24th Belldandy is recalled back to the Heavens due to a Bug infestation as the result of her presence to Keiichi. Urd and Skuld perform a Magic Circle of Warding which nullifies the Bug Infestation and closes the Gate. Belldandy's recall notice is canceled, and Skuld and Urd are each punished for the circle.

_ALTERNATE UNIVERSE_

_1997_

_January 11th Asuka and Sayoko arrive in an alternate universe just after the Christmas events. Here they meet Sayoko's parents and Aunts. They eventually are returned to the Future when Sayoko's Aunt Skuld comes from the future to rescue them._

1998

Celestine is freed by Morgan La Fe, the Fairy Princess. He returns to Earth in search of Belldandy. He infects her with a Virus that brings about the loss of her Memories of Keiichi, as well as beginning about major virus attacks on Yggdrasil. Eventually, Celestine is defeated. Keiichi and Belldandy walk through the Judgment Gate. Both make it through the Gate, proving their love for one another.

1999

Celes Victoria is 'killed' during a Ghoul attack on Cheddars. She is turned by the Vampire Arucard and joins Her Majesty's Protestant Knight's, Hellsing.

The Demon Welsper comes in search of Belldandy. He is her Doublet, having cursed himself in order to remember her. As a result of the curse, he hasn't aged. His body can no longer contain the powers he has. Should he die, Belldandy would die as well. Belldandy remembers his name, thus breaking the curse. Welsper is punished for hacking the Yggdrasil system. He is turned into a female cat. However, Welsper curses himself again, thus he retains all of his knowledge and the ability to speak. Belldandy is the only one kept in the dark about Welsper and his history. Thus, she thinks he is a normal cat.

3 months later

Lind comes to Earth in search of the Angel Eater. It becomes known that Hild brought the Angel Eater to Earth in order to remove the Goddesses Angels and replace them with Devils. Belldandy receives a Devil. However, because of her pureness, Belldandy causes the Devil to go completely white, and become good. The Angel eater is vanquished back to hell. Lind returns to the heavens, now able to deploy both of her Angels. Belldandy however cannot support both her Angel and the Devil. Keiichi carries the Devil for a time. However, it is decided that a Demon without a Devil must be found. Thus, Welsper

is revealed to Belldandy as being a Demon. (The fact that he is also her Doublet is kept from her.) Welsper now carries the Devil, which he named 'Blue Lance'.

2000

Hellsing is broken up following a Vampire/Ghoul attack on the Tower of London. Integra Hellsing is imprisoned for a time. She later vanishes along with the Vampire Arucard. Celes Victoria is transferred to MI-6 where attempts are made to 'pawn' her off to other agencies for the next several decades.

August

On a routine Examination in Heaven, Belldandy discovers she is pregnant. This fact is known only to the Doctor, Belldandy, Keiichi, and of course, Kami-sama.

Sept 13th Second Impact.

Katsuragi Expedition is completely wiped out, except for one survivor, Misato Katsuragi

Keiichi and Belldandy Morisato announce to their family that they are expecting a child.

2001

February 18th Hikari Horaki is born

March 30th Rei Ayanami is 'born' (date is conjecture)

April 10th Sayoko Morisato, the Second Goddess of the Present is born. She is Half Goddess and Half Mortal.

June 6th Shinji Ikari is born

December 4th Asuka Langley Sohryu is born

2003

Planning begins for an Expedition to Mars in order to see if possible colonization can begin there due to the Second Impacts effect on Earth. Several groups object to the Expedition citing needs elsewhere. Foremost among the groups is Gehirn.

2004

August 15th Keiichi and Belldandy Morisato are assumed killed when their plane crashed over what would soon be Tokyo-3. At the same time, Yui Ikari was absorbed into Unit-01.

Shortly after, Megumi Morisato, upset over the loss of her brother, breaks all contact with Skuld, Urd, and Sayoko. Urd begins to drink more heavily. Within a year, Urd is recalled back to Heaven, leaving Skuld to raise Sayoko alone.

2005 Asuka Langley Sohryu is chosen as the Second Child. Shortly after, her mother commits suicide

2006

Dr. Naoko Akagi falls to her death after killing Rei Ayanami. The Second Clone of Rei is then awakened.

2007

Skuld is named Goddess 1st Class Type 2 Unlimited.

2012

An Expedition is launched from Earth to Mars. 5 months into the voyage, all contact is lost with the Expedition craft. A month later, the Ship is declared lost and the Crew reported as dead. Funds for any further Mars exploration are cut and transferred to Gehirn.

In reality, the ship was sabotaged by unknown parties. Crew was rescued by an Alien spacecraft. Among the rescuers is Hatsuho, who falls for one of the Crew, Kasumi. They are later married.

2014

Mizuho Kasumi is born

2015

Summer

Shinji Ikari and Unit-01 are absorbed into the 12th Angel. They are freed when Unit-01 goes berserk.

Touji Suzuhara is chosen as the Fourth Child, Pilot of Unit-03.

Neon Genesis: Goddess begins at this point 

Sayoko Morisato arrives in Tokyo.

2016

Attack on Tokyo-3 by JSSDF, and all Nine Production Model Evangelions. Third Impact is started, but fails.

Rei Ayanami, 'killed' during the Aborted Third Impact, is returned to earth fully Human, and now called Rei Ikari, becoming Shinji's sister.

1 month after the aborted Third Impact, Sayoko Morisato is named a 1st Class Goddess, Type 2, Unlimited.

Ritsuko Akagi begins work on the Next Generation of Super Computer to replace the MAGI. She decides upon the name NORN.

2 months after the aborted Third Impact

With Tokyo-3 destroyed, Misato Katsuragi moves to Tokyo-2, bringing with her her charges, Asuka Langley Sohryu, Shinji Ikari, and Rei Ikari. Sayoko leaves to continue her Goddess Training in the heavens.

8 months after the abortive Third Impact.

Neon Genesis: Goddess: The Return of the Red Haired Demon begins here 

Sayoko fails her wish test for the third time. She returns to her Aunt Skuld on Earth to continue her schooling as well as work on her Goddess Mortal relations. Demoness Mara tries to break up Asuka and Shinji. As a result of her meddling, Sayoko receives a two month license suspension. Eventually, Mara's involvement is known, and Sayoko's suspension ends by Christmas.

Skuld is reunited with her childhood boyfriend, Sentaro.

Kouzou Fuyutsuki retires from the UN.

2018

Junior Year at Tokyo-2 High School

Kei Kusanagi is born

Neon Genesis: Goddess: Past Experience. The Race begins here 

Asuka and Sayoko are sent back in time as the result of a Bug's interference with the activation of the NORN Super Computer.

Upon their return, Asuka and Sayoko continue to help the others in preparing for a Go-Kart race in a School event. Sayoko eventually races to victory, defeating the son of Aoshima.

2021

Cayla, Goddess of the Moon, is born.

2023

Asuka and Shinji are married. Three days before, Keiichi and Belldandy Morisato are freed from the core of Unit-04. Yui Ikari is also freed from Unit-01's core and returned to the earth. Due to the way she was absorbed, Kyoko Zeppelin Sohryu's soul is sent to the heavens.

Neon Genesis: Goddess R begins at this point 

Rogue Army of Demons and 5 Production Evas, led by the Demon Draco and the God Loki attack and conquer the Heavens. Shinji, Asuka, Touji, and Rei all fall while trying to retake the Heavens with a Demon and God army. All four are resurrected by Yggdrasil to become the Guardians of Heaven.

Belldandy is named Goddess Class 0 Unlimited and is appointed to the Heavenly Council as one of the Norse Representatives.

Touji Suzuhara and Hikari Horaki are married

Taro Ryoji is born

Demon Ceres is recruited by Lukas Keel

December Kouzou Fuyutsuki is killed. His Killer is later found out to be the Demon known as the Soultaker

2024

July Kaji Ryoji killed by the Soultaker on the orders of SEELE.

Maho Kasumi is born

2025

Mizuho and Maho's father dies.

2027

While at a wedding, Kensuke finds himself drinking with Sayoko. Sayoko ends up drunk and Kensuke walks her back to her room. The Goddess tries to seduce Kensuke, but he turns her down. The next morning, Kensuke finds himself wrapped in the arms of Sayoko and her Angel.

2028

Keiichi Morisato falls Ill as his body tries to restore itself to it's proper age due to the time spent in Unit-04.

2030

Mizuho Kasumi begins her training in order to become a Planetary Inspector. She hopes to one day visit her Father's planet.

2032

Kei Kusanagi 'standstills'. During this time, he does not age

2035

Kei Kusanagi awakens from his 'standstill. However, because he has not aged, he appears younger then all of his friends. Kei moves out to Lake Kizaki to live with his Uncle, who is a Doctor and runs a clinic, and his Aunt. He then enrolls in the local High School.

Kensuke Aida becomes Director of UN Intelligence.

Mizuho Kasumi graduates, becoming a Planetary Inspector. Her first assignment, to her joy, is Planet Delta Des-8228, Earth.

2036

Mizuho arrives on planet, though not unnoticed.

Kei Kusanagi discovers that his Teacher, Mizuho Kazumi is an Alien. To protect her secret, the two are married. Later, Mizuho is forced to return home by her superiors and everyone on Earth that knew of her had their memories erased. Mizuho returns later that year to see Kei. He remembers her and they are married yet again.

2037

Neon Genesis: Guardian begins at this point 

Cayla, Goddess 2nd Class is assigned to Belldandy Class 0 for training.

Sayoko travels to Lake Kizaki to protect Misato. While there, she discovers that Mizuho Kasumi is an Alien. Mizuho is ordered to leave. Afterward, Sayoko is attacked and abducted. Two Demons also steal Hatsuho Kasumi's spaceship. The Demons are stopped. It is eventually learned that Sayoko has been brainwashed by the Demon known as the Soultaker.

2038

Sayoko is eventually freed from the Demons control, but at the loss of her memory, as well as the loss of Misato Katsuragi.

Cayla is named a Goddess First Class Type 2 Unlimited.

Kensuke Aida enlists the aid of the Vampire Celes Victoria. Celes searches for the hidden SEELE base. During a raid on the SEELE leader's compound, Kensuke and 12 others vanish.

In a fight, the Demon Soultaker is defeated by the Four Guardians, 5 Goddesses, and one Vampire. The Demon then holds SEELE captive as 10 Eva cores explode.

Keiichi Morisato dies at the age of 63.

Sayoko (now back to normal) moves into Misato Ryoji's old home along with the Vampire Celes Victoria, as well as Pen Pen the Penguin.

Sayoko and Belldandy save Mizuho Kasumi from the Galactic Investigative Committee. Further, only Mizuho and her family may travel to Earth. All others must stay away otherwise they will be denied space flight.

2070

First Lunar Base established.

2098

After 60 years, Celes Victoria moves to an Apartment in Neo-Tokyo. Sayoko, having spent the last 98 years on Earth, leaves the surface and moves into her parent's home in Heaven.

2170 – 2215

Earth population has recovered to and beyond Pre-Second impact levels, but with much less land-mass to support them. Efforts are made to build a series of Colony Ships in order to colonize habitable planets.

2224

The Mesopotamia develops a Computer glitch, which kills all aboard. Only Six males successfully reach the surface of a planet that will be called Terra 2. A Seventh Survivor, Lorelei, the only female, remains in hibernation sleep by the Mesopotamia Computer.

2225

After repeated calls to Mesopotamia from both Earth and her sister ships go unanswered, ship is declared lost and it's crew dead. The other Colonoy Ships are gone other very carefully looking for anything out of the ordinary. Several problems are found but are easily corrected. Each ship eventually finds a planet to land on. All the planets maintian contact with earth.

2512

Yui Ikari, daughter of Shinji and Asuka, is born. She is the first of the Second Generation Guardians

2524

Neon Genesis: Goddess J begins at this point 

Rogue Demons, survivors from the assault on Heaven, attack Terra 2. Later, they bring about the resurrection of the Angels. Several of the Angels decide to rejoin Heaven and help fight off their brothers. All of the Angel eventually die, except for one, the 15th Messenger named Arael.

2525

Otaru Maimya finds the cloned baby females that resemble Lime, Cherry, and Bloodberry. He raises them as his own children. Otaru and Lorelei also begin to date.

Keima Morisato is born to Keiichi and Belldandy. He is born as a Full God.

2529

Keima Morisato sneaks down to Terra 2 where he meets Lime, Bloodberry, and Cherry.

2533

Otaru Maimya marries Lorelei. They and the three girls (Lime, Cherry, and Bloodberry) move out to a house in the countryside.

2546

Neon Genesis: Goddess: The Second Wish begins here 

Keima, God 1st Class Type 2 Unlimited Grants Lime Mamiya's wish to be with her forever. Both move into Otaru Mamiya's old Apartment and Restaurant. They are soon joined by Lime's sisters (Bloodberry and Cherry), and by Yui Ikari (daughter of Shinji and Asuka) as well as Arael (the 15th Messenger /Angel).

Due to a failed New Texas experiment, Kensuke and the 12 others are released onto Terra 2 where Kensuke is reunited with Sayoko. Both move into a house near Japoness. They are later joined there by the Vampire Celes Victoria as she avoids the Paladin Father Alexander Anderson.

Sayoko and Kensuke are married in a ceremony in Heaven.

During routine maintenance, a virus infects Yggdrasil causing all of the Gods and Goddesses to become Evil. Only those who are not Pure Gods and Goddesses or were either mortal or Demon before are unaffected. An Anti-Virus is created using the old NORN super computers. During the creation of the Anti-Virus, Father Alexander Anderson attacks. He is defeated when Arucard appears. Arucard then offers his blood to Celes Victoria, allowing her to cease being his servant, and to become a full Vampire with all the associated powers. The Virus is eradicated from Yggdrasil.

2547

Kristine Aida, the Third Goddess of the Present, is Born. She is Half Goddess and Half Mortal.

2552

Sentaro Aida is born. He has no God powers and is fully mortal.

2562

Kristine Aida is named Goddess 1st Class Type 2 Unlimited.


End file.
